Indian-U.S. Nuclear Talks Could Resume Soon

U.S.-Indian negotiations are expected to resume “very shortly” to finalize the details of a nuclear trade agreement approved in principle by the U.S. Congress last month, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said yesterday (see GSN, Jan. 11).

U.S. President George W. Bush signed a law Dec. 18 exempting India from U.S. nuclear nonproliferation laws.  Details of the deal are to be addressed in the so-called “123” agreement that would specify what U.S. technology and materials would be sold to India.

India has objected to some of the language of the exemption, and officials on both sides have said those concerns would be discussed during the next series of talks.

“Some of these things will be addressed in the 123 (bilateral) agreement on which negotiations will be held very shortly,” Singh said.

The “mindset on both sides is one of problem-solving and if this continues, there is room for optimism,” added lead Indian nuclear negotiator Shyam Saran (Press Trust of India, Jan. 15).

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