NEW DELHI, May 24 (UPI) -- India has said it is averse to signing a treaty with the United States banning further nuclear tests.
The Hindu newspaper said Wednesday India is against the idea of giving legal status to its moratorium on conducting further nuclear tests in any bilateral agreement with the United States.
The Indian government said it was bound by its commitment contained in the July 18, 2005 joint statement, but was not prepared to transform this into a treaty obligation.
The Indian foreign office said Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran will meet U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns and tell him that speed is of the essence with regard to getting the civilian nuclear agreement through U.S. Congress.
"We want to get (the civilian nuclear deal) through the U.S. Congress as quickly as possible," the foreign office said, admitting that it was difficult to predict what will happen in Congress after the November elections in the United States.
Some members of Congress, an unnamed Indian diplomat said, wanted to link the draft legislation introduced in both Houses to waive technology cooperation restrictions on India with the civilian nuclear agreement currently being negotiated by the two sides.
