Nuclear exporters seek to clinch India trade waiver on Saturday

Sep 6, 2008, 9:32 GMT

Vienna - Nuclear-exporting countries were optimistic in Vienna Saturday that they could agree on a trade waiver for India, a key step before the United States can implement its 2005 nuclear agreement with New Delhi.

As they gathered for a third day of talks, members of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), which sets international export control rules, said they expected to make an exemption from their rules, giving India's growing atomic energy sector access to global suppliers.

India's declaration on Friday about its commitments to nuclear non- proliferation was key to making a decision possible, diplomats said.

A source close to the talks said the trade exemption drafted by the US now directly refers to a statement by Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukerjee on Thursday, in which he said his country was committed to a moratorium on nuclear weapons testing.

Finding agreement among the NSG hinged on Austria, Ireland and New Zealand, who insist that the trade exemption should take the possibility of an Indian atomic test into consideration. China was supportive of the three countries, diplomats said.

According to participants of the meeting, the US administration talked to critical nuclear-exporting countries as well as India's regional rival China on the highest political levels on Friday in order to make a decision possible this week.

The trade waiver is an essential part of Washington's 2005 nuclear deal with India. The window is narrowing for the Congress in Washington to approve the bilateral agreement before the presidential elections in November.

India cannot currently access global markets for civil nuclear technology and materials, as it has not signed the Nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty.