India

UN atomic agency approves inspections deal with Delhi

Article published on the 2008-08-01 Latest update 2008-08-02 09:00 TU

Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh
(Photo : AFP)

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) approved a nuclear inspections agreement with India on Friday, a step towards allowing a nuclear deal with the US to go ahead. The so-called "safeguards agreement" will subject Indian nuclear facilities to IAEA supervision, a pre-condition to the deal.

IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei told journalists that the agreement was "good for India, and good for the world", while the US ambassador to the agency said that it was a major step forward for India, and would strengthen the world's non-proliferation regime.

Critics say that the deal will have the opposite effect.

Pakistani nuclear physician Pervez Hoodboy told RFI that the deal would set a dangerous precedent.

"India...reserves the right to test nuclear weapons, it reserves the right to use nuclear material for making more bombs...it is going to use the assistance provided by the Unites States to make more nuclear weapons," he said. "This is going to fuel an arms race on the continent and beyond."

Some countries had expressed reservations over the agreement, and Iran accused the US of double standards for co-operating with India while trying to put a stop to Iran's nuclear programme.

However, all 35 members of the IAEA board eventually reached a consensus, including Pakistan.

India still needs a waiver from the Nuclear Suppliers Group, which is made up of 45 countries which export nuclear fuel and technology, as well as ratification from the US Congress, before the deal can go through.

India's Prime minister, Manmohan Singh, said that the IAEA agreement was a "milestone" in India's co-operation with the international community in the peaceful use of atomic energy.