By IANS
New Delhi : US ambassador David C. Mulford has called for a "quicker" completion of the next steps by India and the US to make the 123 agreement on civil nuclear operation operational, failing which the promise of the nuclear deal may not be realised "in 2008, and perhaps not at all".
The US envoy also underlined that the two countries must now concentrate on fulfilling the comprehensive relationship agenda of which civil nuclear commerce is a necessary part, but not in itself sufficient to accomplish the longer-term agenda of helping India become a major power in the 21st century.
"Reaching the finish line on full civil nuclear relations within the life of this president's administration is the key," says Mulford in an article 'US and India ride on' published in the Monday edition of The Times of India.
"The final outcome of the 123 Agreement may make it harder to get Congressional approval. If India adds to this burden by allowing time to pass in its IAEA and NSG campaigns, or the US fails to do its part in the NSG and with the Congress, the promise of the 123 Agreement may not be realised in 2008, and perhaps not at all," he stressed.
The next three steps required to make the 123 deal operational include India concluding a safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for 14 civilian nuclear reactors and the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) clearing by consensus a "clean rule change" in favour of India.
Once these two steps are completed, the US Congress is required to endorse the 123 accord, the final step that will make the bilateral agreement, announced officially last week, operational.
Placing the importance of the civilian nuclear deal in the larger context of India-US relations, the envoy said: "When Bush introduced the prospect of normalising US-India civil nuclear relations and ending India's nuclear isolation from the rest of the world, he made clear that the intention of the US was to assist India in achieving its vision to become a major power in the 21st century.
"We are the world's largest democracies, anchored halfway around the world from one another. Our friendship, shared interests and future accomplishments will determine the agenda and the direction of the 21st century.
"With negotiations finished, let us quickly conclude this agreement to begin civil nuclear energy cooperation and realise in all fields the vast potential in our strategic partnership," he said.