By IANS,
Washington : Amid the suspense whether US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice would sign or not sign the India-US civil nuclear deal during her visit to New Delhi Saturday, the US has outlined four steps before they can start nuclear trade.
“Before civil nuclear trade can commence with India, some procedural actions must occur,” a State Department spokesman said Friday when asked to outline the process for implementing the implementing 123 Agreement following its Congressional approval.
1. The United States and India must sign the US-India Agreement for Cooperation Concerning Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy (123 Agreement). This text has been finalised and initialled since July 2007.
2. President George W. Bush must sign into law the legislation recently passed by Congress approving the 123 Agreement.
3. After it becomes law, the President will make two certifications required under the law:
(1) that conclusion and implementation of the agreement by its terms is consistent with US obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty; and
(2) that it is the policy of the United States to work with members of the Nuclear Suppliers Group to further restrict transfers of equipment and technology related to uranium enrichment and reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel.
4. Following the certifications, India and the United States will exchange diplomatic notes pursuant to Article 16(1) of the 123 Agreement, thereby bringing the agreement into force.