IAEA Board approves India nuclear inspection plan (2nd Roundup)

Aug 1, 2008, 15:56 GMT

Vienna - India came one step closer to gaining access to the international nuclear trade Friday as the UN nuclear watchdog's board unanimously approved an inspection protocol with the country.

For India, the so-called Safeguards Agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is a precondition before the US Congress can ratify the 2005 US-India nuclear deal which gives India access to civilian nuclear fuel and technology from abroad.

'I believe the agreement is good for India, is good for the world, is good for non-proliferation, is good for our collective effort to move toward a world free from nuclear weapons,' IAEA Director General Mohammed ElBaradei told reporters.

ElBaradei said he hoped that including India in the nuclear mainstream would help to bring the country into a debate on global nuclear disarmament.

Anil Kakodkar, the head of the Indian Atomic Energy Commission, said the safeguards agreement and the India-US deal were very important for India and the world 'as it meets the twin objectives of energy security as well as on global climate change.'

After separating its nuclear weapons programme from its energy sector, India will allow the IAEA to monitor 14 of its 22 power reactors operating or under construction, up from the six reactors currently being inspected.

As India moved towards gaining access to global nuclear markets even though it has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), ElBaradei said that Pakistan could get similar treatment.

He saw no reason why Pakistan should not also 'have access to peaceful nuclear technology under appropriate circumstances,' he said.

According to diplomats, several Middle Eastern states including Iran and Saudi Arabia warned the board on Friday that the safeguards agreement and the India-US deal would create a precedent for offering Israel a similar deal that contains no obligation for nuclear disarmament.

Like India, Israel and Pakistan have atom bombs while remaining outside the non-proliferation regime.

Though all 35 board members green-lighted India's safeguards plan, several called on India to sign the nonproliferation treaty after getting rid of its nuclear weapons, and to adhere to the global nuclear test ban treaty.

Some countries remained concerned that provisions in the preamble of the agreement could allow India to cease IAEA inspections if its foreign nuclear supplies were interrupted after a nuclear test.

The present safeguards agreement would 'diminish the concept of comprehensive verification' of nuclear facilities, Austria, Costa Rica, the Netherlands and Norway said in a joint statement.

Ahead of the approval of India's inspection agreement, ElBaradei assured member states that it does not have any loopholes and will go on indefinitely.

Before the US Congress can approve the US-India deal to bring it into force, the Nuclear Suppliers Group of nuclear exporting countries will have to make an exemption for India, as the group normally exports only to NPT members.

Countries such as Austria and Switzerland are expected to demand guarantees that India does not conduct further nuclear tests before agreeing to the export control changes, diplomats said.