'Bush trying to capitalise on India's nuclear programme'

Accusing US President George Bush of trying to capitalise on India's nuclear programme and unleashing a "grand strategy" to get the country to accede to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, an eminent scientist on Thursday said the 123 agreement on nuclear cooperation must contain the nature of the deal's provisions.

Speaking to reporters after inaugurating a seminar on "Emerging trends in desalination, reactor water chemistry and back-end technology of nuclear fuel cycle" at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, A N Prasad said the Hyde Act was part of the US administration's moves "to satisfy its agenda."

"Following the Hyde Act, Bush is differentiating provisions of the deal as advisory and mandatory in nature. This was not initially mentioned in the joint statement and now he has put India in ambiguity," he said.

It is obvious that the Indian government was aware of the pitfalls in going ahead with provisions of the deal in the way it has repeatedly been saying it would seek clarifications from the US regarding every aspect of the pact, he said.

Sharing the concern of other nuclear scientists over the status of the deal, the former Bhabha Atomic Research Centre director said there was every chance of the US retracting its promise of supplying uranium to India if it refused to comply with certain demands.

"Let us learn from our past experiences with the US," he said. "For instance, in Tarapur, the US agreed to supply nuclear fuel for 25 years till 1993. But what happened? Most of our breeders were left idling for want of uranium when they stopped supply after passing a Non-Proliferation Act immediately after the Pokhran test."