India approves technical details of India-US civilian nuclear deal

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

India approves technical details of India-US civilian nuclear deal

Published: July 25, 2007

NEW DELHI: India's Cabinet has signed off on the technical details
of a civilian nuclear cooperation deal with the United States,
moving a step closer to finalizing a pact touted as the cornerstone
of an emerging partnership, officials said Wednesday.

The broad deal was approved two years ago, but talks on its
technical aspects had dragged on, held up by American reluctance
to allow India to reprocess spent atomic fuel — a key step in
making atomic weapons — and Indian demands for a guaranteed
fuel supply for reactors. New Delhi also wanted the right to test
nuclear weapons.

How those issues were resolved remains an open question —
neither side has released details of the deal since Friday, when
they said it was nearly complete and awaiting final approval.

But after the Indian Cabinet's committees on security and political
affairs jointly met and approved the deal Wednesday, Foreign
Minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters that "all concerns of
India have been reflected and have been adequately addressed."

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