No NSG decision on India waiver, next meet in Sep

Vienna (PTI): India's efforts to get a quick and clean exemption from the Nuclear Suppliers Group for doing nuclear commerce did not materialise on Friday in the face of reservations expressed by some countries that could lead to rewording of the draft waiver. 

The 45-nation group will meet early next month, possibly on September 4-5, to consider the changes which US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher said are necessary to accommodate the concerns raised by some countries. 

"The meeting was positive... Many delegates raised some questions and the US is pleased (with that). I remain optimistic and we will continue to make progress," John Rood, leader of the US delegation at the NSG meet, told reporters after the two-day discussions. 

"The NSG will meet again in the near future to work on these constructive discussions," he said. 

After intense deliberations over the move that will end India's 34-year-old isolation in the civil nuclear commerce, diplomats said no final decision could be arrived at. 

Further discussions will be required for which the NSG is expected to be convened again on September 4 and 5, they said. 

The discussions remained inconclusive as some members raised questions over the move to grant waiver to India since it is not a signatory to the NPT. 

Indications that the decision could be delayed emerged during the day when Boucher said in Mumbai that some amendments would be made to the draft waiver moved at the NSG. 

The proposals for amendments in the draft were made by some countries during the deliberations at the two-day meet. 

New Zealand, Switzerland and Austria particularly aired non-proliferation and nuclear testing issues and questioned why the exemption should be given to India which is not a signatory to the NPT. 

Boucher said some countries had "objections" and "we need to listen" to them. 

"I don't want to lie to you...I can't really lie. There might be some changes that we could accept. But we are pushing for a clean text", Boucher told reporters in Mumbai. 

"The US and India will have to sit together and see what we can accommodate and what we can't. We will have to talk to the other governments involved", said Boucher who will meet officials of External Affairs Ministry in New Delhi on Monday. 

He did not specify as to what kind of changes would be made in the draft which was finalised after tough negotiations between Washington and New Delhi and was moved by the US at the NSG meet on Thursday. 

Boucher, however, said nothing will be done to "impede" the implementation of the Indo-US nuclear deal. 

Sources in Vienna said some changes would be made in the language of the draft and the US will bring it back at the next NSG meeting. 

India has maintained that it would not accept any conditions being attached to the waiver. 

The NSG meeting on September 4-5 will be crucial considering the time constraint for operationalization of the Indo-US nuclear deal. 

After the NSG clearance, the deal will go back for final vote by the US Congress which will meet on September 8 for a three-week session, the last before the American Presidential elections.