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Inspection Plan OK'd For India Reactors

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The Associated Press

Published: August 2, 2008

VIENNA, Austria - India and the United States moved a decisive step closer to implementing a landmark nuclear deal Friday after approval of an inspections plan by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The deal with Washington would reverse more than three decades of U.S. policy that has barred the sale of nuclear fuel and technology to India, a country that has not signed international nonproliferation accords and has tested nuclear weapons.

To implement the deal, India must strike separate agreements with the IAEA and with the Nuclear Suppliers Group of countries that export nuclear material. It then goes to Congress for approval.

Both countries hailed adoption of the IAEA safeguards agreement, which will effectively allow U.N. monitors access to 14 Indian nuclear reactors by 2014. The IAEA currently inspects six of India's reactors.

The IAEA's 35-member board of governors approved the safeguards agreement by consensus, despite criticism that ambiguous wording could limit international oversight of India's reactors, undermine the international nonproliferation treaty and possibly help supply India's arms programs with fissile material.

The White House urged the Nuclear Suppliers Group to act quickly, saying the administration expects to submit the deal to Congress this year.

Congress' calendar, however, appears to make it difficult for the deal to be approved this year.

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