By IANS,
Vienna : The United States came out with a ‘changed draft’ Friday night to find the elusive consensus among the 45-members of the Nuclear Suppliers’ Group on a “clean waiver” that will allow commerce between India and the powerful cartel that controls the global supply of nuclear fuel, equipment and technology.
Negotiations between the three parties – the US, the NSG members and India – went on till late night as serious attempts were on to reach an agreement on the new wordings in the draft that will be acceptable to all.
Austria, Ireland and New Zealand, were the three countries in the 45-member group that prevented a consensus from emerging in the NSG on an India-specific waiver. They insisted that provisions be brought in the draft that will ensure that all commercial dealing with India be stopped the moment it conducts another nuclear test.
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee issued a statement re-affirming India’s commitment to a “voluntary moratorium” on further tests. But the three members of the NSG remained sceptical and insisted that the commitment should be legal to make it more binding.
The on-going negotiations are aimed at making the changed language in the draft acceptable to the NSG members and India.