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  • Russia ignores U.S., delivers nuclear fuel to India

    http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N25186062.htm

    WASHINGTON, April 25 (Reuters) - Russia has delivered fresh nuclear fuel for two Indian reactors, ignoring a U.S. request for a delay until rules are formally changed to allow such transfers, American officials said in recent interviews.

    The delivery, which experts say violates international rules, comes as the U.S. Congress is considering whether to approve an agreement that would would allow India to obtain nuclear fuel, reactors and technology from the United States and other countries for the first time in three decades.

    The Russian fuel for the two Tarapur power plants "has been delivered but it has not yet been used. It's in a storage facility," a senior U.S. official told Reuters.

    "This kind of activity should not take place, in our view, until the NSG has acted. It's not good precedent," he said.

    The United States has asked India to refrain from using the fuel and believes this request will be honored, he added.

    The official, who spoke anonymously because of the sensitivity of the matter, insisted that while the transfer is an "irritant ... (it) has not been a major issue."

    The 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group has not yet altered its rules to permit nuclear transfers to India and is not expected to do so until Congress votes. That could take months because of concern that the U.S.-India civilian nuclear co-operation agreement could undermine efforts to control nuclear proliferation.

    "Russia has clearly violated NSG rules," Daryl Kimball, director of the nonprofit Arms Control Association. said of Moscow's nuclear fuel delivery.

    "This is a further step towards the erosion of the NSG guidelines and the United States must speak out more strongly against Russia and India pursuing this."

    Democratic Rep. Edward Markey of Massachusetts, a leading critic of the U.S.-India deal, expressed concern that the agreement has "pretty much neutralized the ability of the U.S. to block this type of shipment."

    "The United States can't plausibly tell other nations not to ship nuclear material or technology to India if we are preparing to do so ourselves," he said.

    As a member of the NSG, which controls global nuclear trade, Russia should not supply fuel to countries like India, which have not signed the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty.

    The uranium fuel for Tarapur was delivered recently following a Russia-India agreement announced last month.

    U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns, who is negotiating the deal with India, mildly criticized the sale at the time.

    While acknowledging that India needs energy for its fast-growing economy, Burns said Russia should delay the transfer until Congress and the NSG formally change their rules.

    In supplying the fuel, Russia invoked an NSG "safety exemption clause" which allows fuel transfers if there is reason to believe that starving a reactor of fuel could result in a nuclear hazard.

    But many non-proliferation experts reject this argument, reasoning that if there was a real safety issue, the reactors should be shut down, not refueled.

    The United States believes "there is no immediate safety concern ... but you could make a case in the next year or two that there could be safety problem" at Tarapur, the senior U.S. official said.

    Russia used the same safety rationale when it sold India nuclear fuel in early 2001. At that time, the U.S. State Department accused Russia of violating its NSG commitments and urged Moscow to cancel the deal.
    Hmmm its unbelievable what all the US wants to control when it comes to nuclear technology. The US has no case to ask India not to use it. India and Russia are just trying to divert a nuclear hazard, not to mention the energy needs of India as the 3rd fastest growing nation of the year.

  • #2
    Its good to see an old friend of India still standing by its side.

    Very reassuring.
    Self-control is the chief element in self-respect, and self-respect is the chief element in courage.

    Comment


    • #3
      You think India will hold back on the nuclear fuel as instructed by the US?

      I mean its a security risk as described by Russia if more fuel is not "pumped in" (in a manner of speaking).

      Blackwill suggested the deal should go through by July.

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by Asim Aquil
        You think India will hold back on the nuclear fuel as instructed by the US?

        I mean its a security risk as described by Russia if more fuel is not "pumped in" (in a manner of speaking).

        Blackwill suggested the deal should go through by July.
        India does not take instructions from any country.

        India's ties with Russia are not linked to its ties with the USA, and Russia's ties with India are independent of its ties with the USA.

        All three countries very well understand this fact.
        Self-control is the chief element in self-respect, and self-respect is the chief element in courage.

        Comment


        • #5
          When did I say it to be otherwise?

          India is complying for now, by listening to the Americans and not using that nuclear fuel supplied by Russia.

          Comment


          • #6
            Asim, who are the other two fastest economically growing countries on top of India??? (excluding China, and don't say Afghanistan....lol)
            Cow is the only animal that not only inhales oxygen, but also exhales it.
            -Rekha Arya, Former Minister of Animal Husbandry

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Tronic
              Asim, who are the other two fastest economically growing countries on top of India??? (excluding China, and don't say Afghanistan....lol)
              He wont say Asghanistan. I think he would suggest Pakistan. Isn't it Asim the Aquil.

              Self-control is the chief element in self-respect, and self-respect is the chief element in courage.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Tronic
                Asim, who are the other two fastest economically growing countries on top of India??? (excluding China, and don't say Afghanistan....lol)
                according to last years stats, Pak was 2nd place with an 8% growth last year.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Asim Aquil
                  according to last years stats, Pak was 2nd place with an 8% growth last year.

                  See, I told you!!

                  LOL!!!!!
                  Self-control is the chief element in self-respect, and self-respect is the chief element in courage.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Maximus
                    See, I told you!!

                    LOL!!!!!
                    Coz u knew it?

                    Thats how last year went down, dude.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Asim Aquil
                      Coz u knew it?

                      Thats how last year went down, dude.
                      How much aid did you get from the USA last year, and the year prior to that?

                      Self-control is the chief element in self-respect, and self-respect is the chief element in courage.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Actually total aid has been how much? 3Bn$? half for military, half for economic uplift? and then smoe more smaller military packages?

                        Do the math.

                        Pak did get higher textile quotas from the US but then that's trade. Pak did get huge investments in real estate from the UAE. Pak did start making billion dollar projects. Pak made new highways, Pak's making a 1500 ft tall building in Karachi.

                        Get on a plane and come to Pakistan. I assume a lot of would be faith shattering.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Asim, its a well known fact that Pakistan's economy registered such high growth was because your finance ministry re-evaluated the GDP's base year and tried to account for otherwise unaccounted sectors..

                          Your GDP growth for this year would be 6%.... according to WorldBank reports
                          India will continue to maintain 7.5 to 8%

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            6%'s not so bad. And India's growth won't be so high. Especially with the oil prices skyrocketing.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Maximus
                              India does not take instructions from any country.
                              This in an understatement.

                              Comment

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