INDO-US NUCLEAR DEAL IN TROUBLE?
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US to end N-deal if India conducts nuclear test
Published on Wed, Sep 03, 2008 at 18:19, Updated on Wed, Sep 03, 2008 at 19:29 in 
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Washington: A secret letter from the United States of America's State Department has revealed how the US plans to terminate the nuclear deal if India conducts a nuclear test.
These revelations have embarrassed both New Delhi and Washington ahead of the crucial meeting of the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) in Vienna on Thursday.
The State Department letter confirms that if India tested a nuclear device all nuclear trade with New Delhi would be immediately terminated.
The nine-month old letter was published in the Washington Post on Wednesday and was made public by influential Congressman and Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Howard Berman.
The letter covers 45 highly technical questions and was never made public apparently because it could have toppled the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance Government.
Berman has released State Department's answers to 45 questions on the deal, which indicate clearly differing perceptions on key issues between New Delhi and Washington.
The questions were submitted to the State Department by Berman's predecessor Tom Lantos in October 2007 and answers were sent on January 16, 2008.
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The answers were considered "so sensitive, particularly because the debate over the agreement in India could have toppled the government of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that the State Department requested they remain secret even though they were not classified," according to Washington Post which quoted a Spokesman for Berman as saying he had made the answers public because the US Congress must have "relevant information".
Berman recently wrote a letter to the US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice in which he threatened that the deal will be blocked in the US Congress if the Bush Administration does not incorporate additional conditionalties in any NSG waiver to India.
In its responses, the State Department has said that as outlined in the 123 Agreement, should India detonate a nuclear explosive device, the US has the right to cease all nuclear cooperation with it immediately, including the supply of fuel.
It also stipulates that US can request India to return items transferred from it including fresh fuel. In addition, the US has the right to terminate the agreement on one year's written notice.
The State Department letter says the US assurances are intended to guard against disruptions of fuel supply to India that might occur through no fault of its own. It cited instances like a trade war resulting in the cut off supply, market disruptions or the failure of a company to fulfill a fuel supply contract.
In such circumstances, the US would be prepared to encourage transfers of nuclear fuel to India by other NSG members.
"The fuel supply assurances are not, however, meant to insulate India against the consequences of a nuclear explosive test or a violation of non-proliferation commitments," the State Department said.
The State Department also took the line that ceasing nuclear cooperation with India would be a "serious step".
"The US would not take such a serious step without careful consideration of the circumstances necessitating such actions and the effects and impacts it would entail," it said.
It's still not clear what impact the letter will have on the NSG approval for India.
(With inputs from PTI)
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URBANEYE
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Its a 65000cr business oppurtunity to start with. Leave the letter, there will few more that may be made public
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Yes,they definitely initiated it. But they r not the one who gave go ahead to humiliating conditions like these. Unlike
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This is known that congress divided country for mean political gain. And they are going to do it once again.
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The newness in the news is UPA told this is not there but actually this is there. So congress is
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It was clear from the begining. America wanted to "cap,roll back and end " our military nuclear program . Our
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