Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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September 6, 2008

Nuclear Supplier Nations Approve Landmark US-India Deal
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1E0EE9A:A6F02AD83191E1604CBA101B6D488A91C030207A0BD70133&
 
Nations that control export, sale of nuclear technology agree to lift
34-year-old embargo on India, which has not signed nuclear
non-proliferation treaty 
Nuclear supplier nations have approved a landmark U.S.-backed deal that
lifts a 34-year ban on nuclear trade with India. Members of the
45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group, which governs global nuclear trade,
made the decision Saturday after three days of contentious talks in
Vienna. Austria, New Zealand, and Ireland, were the last three countries
holding out on approval due to reservations about granting a waiver to
India since it has not signed the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
The Austrian government said it lifted objections after Indian officials
reassured the group that India remained committed to a voluntary
moratorium on nuclear testing. In a phone call Saturday, U.S. President
George Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh congratulated each
other, and called the deal an historic achievement. A White House
spokesman, Gordon Johndroe, said the agreement strengthens global
nonproliferation principals while assisting India to meet its energy
needs in!
  an environmentally friendly manner. India's ruling Congress party also
welcomed the "momentous" decision. In a statement Saturday, Prime
Minister Singh said the approval marks the end of India's decades long
isolation from the nuclear mainstream and of the technology denial
regime. The U.S.-India nuclear deal must now be approved by the U.S.
Congress before it becomes law. U.S. lawmakers must act before
adjourning in late September, ahead of U.S. presidential elections in
November.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.


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