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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| US vote due on India nuclear deal | US vote due on India nuclear deal |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The US Senate is to vote on Wednesday on a deal that would end a three-decade ban on US nuclear trade with India. | The US Senate is to vote on Wednesday on a deal that would end a three-decade ban on US nuclear trade with India. |
| It is the final legislative hurdle in a negotiation process which began three years ago when the deal was agreed. | It is the final legislative hurdle in a negotiation process which began three years ago when the deal was agreed. |
| The deal would give India access to US civilian nuclear technology and fuel in return for inspections of its civilian, but not military, nuclear facilities. | The deal would give India access to US civilian nuclear technology and fuel in return for inspections of its civilian, but not military, nuclear facilities. |
| India says the deal is vital to meet its rising energy needs. Critics say it creates a dangerous precedent. | India says the deal is vital to meet its rising energy needs. Critics say it creates a dangerous precedent. |
| They say it effectively allows India to expand its nuclear power industry without requiring it to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as other nations must. | They say it effectively allows India to expand its nuclear power industry without requiring it to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as other nations must. |
| 'Bipartisan support' | 'Bipartisan support' |
| The US House of Representatives passed the agreement on Saturday. The Senate must give final approval before President Bush can sign it into law. | The US House of Representatives passed the agreement on Saturday. The Senate must give final approval before President Bush can sign it into law. |
| NUCLEAR POWER IN INDIA India has 14 reactors in commercial operation and nine under constructionNuclear power supplies about 3% of India's electricityBy 2050, nuclear power is expected to provide 25% of the country's electricityIndia has limited coal and uranium reservesIts huge thorium reserves - about 25% of the world's total - are expected to fuel its nuclear power programme long-term Source: Uranium Information Center Indian firms eye nuclear business | |
| US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said she hoped the agreement will clear its last hurdle, saying that it had "strong bipartisan support". | US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said she hoped the agreement will clear its last hurdle, saying that it had "strong bipartisan support". |
| "I certainly hope it can get done, because it would be a landmark agreement for India and the US," she was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency. | "I certainly hope it can get done, because it would be a landmark agreement for India and the US," she was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency. |
| A spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat who supports the bill, said the Senate would vote on the deal on Wednesday evening. | A spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat who supports the bill, said the Senate would vote on the deal on Wednesday evening. |
| "We will have a vote tomorrow evening on two amendments and final passage of the US-India cooperation deal," spokeswoman, Regan Lachapelle, said. | "We will have a vote tomorrow evening on two amendments and final passage of the US-India cooperation deal," spokeswoman, Regan Lachapelle, said. |
| She said the amendments were related to the "subject of US responses in the event of a future Indian nuclear test". | She said the amendments were related to the "subject of US responses in the event of a future Indian nuclear test". |
| India has said it retains the right to conduct nuclear tests. The US has said the deal would be off in such an eventuality. | India has said it retains the right to conduct nuclear tests. The US has said the deal would be off in such an eventuality. |
| The US House of Representatives passed the agreement by 298-117 votes late on Saturday. | The US House of Representatives passed the agreement by 298-117 votes late on Saturday. |
| Indian PM Manmohan Singh has said the deal will help India to liberate itself from "the constraints of technology denial of 34 years". | Indian PM Manmohan Singh has said the deal will help India to liberate itself from "the constraints of technology denial of 34 years". |
| It was first agreed three years ago and is regarded as a key foreign policy priority for both the Indian and US governments. | It was first agreed three years ago and is regarded as a key foreign policy priority for both the Indian and US governments. |
| The US restricted nuclear co-operation with India after it tested a nuclear weapon in 1974. | The US restricted nuclear co-operation with India after it tested a nuclear weapon in 1974. |
| Earlier this month, the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) lifted a ban that had denied India access to the international nuclear market. | Earlier this month, the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) lifted a ban that had denied India access to the international nuclear market. |
| On Tuesday, India and France signed a major co-operation pact which paves the way for the sale of French nuclear reactors to Delhi. | On Tuesday, India and France signed a major co-operation pact which paves the way for the sale of French nuclear reactors to Delhi. |
| France is the world's second largest producer of nuclear energy after the United States. Russia has also been lobbying the Indian government hard on behalf of its firms. | France is the world's second largest producer of nuclear energy after the United States. Russia has also been lobbying the Indian government hard on behalf of its firms. |