By NNN-PTI,
Washington : Non-proliferation specialists and non-government organisations have asked the Foreign Ministers of the Nuclear Suppliers Group to reject the US proposal to exempt India from long-standing global nuclear trade standards.
Over 150 non-proliferation specialists and NGOs, from around two-dozen countries, in letter to the Foreign Ministers of the NSG said: “India’s commitments under the current terms of the proposed arrangement do not justify making far-reaching exceptions to international non-proliferation rules and norms.” The 45-member nations of NSG is scheduled to meet next week in Vienna to discuss the US proposal to relax NSG restrictions on trade with states, such as India, that refuse to allow comprehensive international nuclear safeguards.
The letter has been flagged by the Arms Control Association which has opposed the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal from the very beginning.
ACA Executive Director Daryl Kimball has said that opposition to the India exemption is expected from several members of the NSG.
“Unlike 178 other countries, India has not signed the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). It continues to produce fissile material and expand its nuclear arsenal. As one of only three states never to have signed the nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT), it has not made a legally- binding commitment to achieve nuclear disarmament,” it said.
The experts and the NGOs noted that the arrangement would give India the rights and privileges of civil nuclear trade that have been reserved only for members in good standing under the NPT.