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Congressmen seek to oppose India nuclear deal
Two U.S. lawmakers have proposed a resolution expressing congressional disapproval for President George W. Bush President George W. Bush‘s sweeping nuclear agreement with India, one of the congressmen said on Tuesday.

If the resolution passed, it would signal lawmakers‘ "disapproval" of the July 18 deal, which has generated strong opposition from non-proliferation advocates because it would give India access to previously banned technology.

"The administration‘s move to l, , ) of Massachusetts, who introduced the resolution with Republic, , ) of Michigan last week.
AoS note: it's garbled in the original.
Markey, co-chair of the Bipartisan Task Force on Non-proliferation, and Upton are members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. "Supplying nuclear fuel to countries that are not party to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty derails the delicate balance that has been established between nuclear nations and limits our capacity to insist that other nations continue to follow that important non-proliferation policy," he said. "We cannot break the nuclear rules established in the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and demand that everyone else play by them," he added in a statement.

For 25 years, the United States led the global fight to deny India access to nuclear technology because it rejected the treaty, developed nuclear weapons and tested them. But Bush, aiming to improve ties with the world‘s largest democracy, jettisoned this approach in the July 18 agreement which would permit civilian U.S.-India nuclear cooperation.

Bush wants changes in U.S. law -- which would have to be approved by Congress -- and international regulations -- which would have to be agreed by the 44-nation Nuclear Suppliers‘ Group -- to let India obtain the restricted items, including nuclear fuel. Bush has yet to say exactly what changes he would seek.

The Markey-Upton resolution says the deal "poses far-reaching and potentially adverse implications" for U.S. non-proliferation objectives and will do little to bring India into closer alignment with U.S. strategic objectives.

Just when the resolution might be acted on is unclear. Congress is supposed to adjourn soon for a monthlong recess.

India conducted nuclear tests in 1974 and 1998. Markey said Bush‘s approach will signal to other nations that "there are no serious consequences for violating nuclear treaties."
Fair enough. Congress should have a debate. Wonder how sensible it will be?

Posted by: john 2005-12-21
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=137979