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Devil's Advocate: 'N-deal India's passport to the world'
Published on Sun, Feb 10, 2008 at 21:29, Updated at Mon, Feb 11, 2008 in Nation section
Tags: Devil's Advocate, David Mulford
DEAL OR NO DEAL? If N-deal is not processed in the present Congress, it is unlikely it will be offered again, says Mulford.
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US Ambassador David Mulford completed four years in India last week. Karan Thapar spoke to him about the Indo-US nuclear deal on Devil’s Advocate.
Karan Thapar: Ambassador Mulford, critics and opponents of the Indo-US nuclear describe it as dangerous folly. They say the only reason your government is interested because it wants to convert India into a subordinate ally in South Asia. How do you respond to that?
David Mulford: It is completely untrue. The reasons why this deal was initiated by the President of United States were based on the statement he made shortly before that initiative was taken. The United States wanted to assist India in achieving its global vision of emerging as a major economic power in the world, and in doing so he focused on one of the items that were thought to be a major constraint for India's future development: namely, energy.
Karan Thapar: Advocates of the deal have absolutely no doubt that it is in India's best interest, but what is in it for the United States?
David Mulford: First of all, the United States would like to see India continue to grow and emerge as a major player in Asia. Secondly, we would like to see India pursue cleaner energy policies and a key part of that is civilian nuclear development.
Finally, we think it is very, very important that the global architecture for non-proliferation should include India, which has been outside that system for 35 years. In other words the President believes it was not sensible to leave one-sixth of humanity outside of the system for the indefinite future.
Karan Thapar: Many people in India say that the United States itself hasn't installed a new nuclear reactor for over two decades. They suspect that in fact the motivation might be that this is the best way of keeping your nuclear industry alive.
David Mulford: The fact is that the United States has built, within its current nuclear industry, 27,000 MW of new nuclear facilities in the way of upgrades and reforms of existing old facilities. It is true we have not built a new facility but this construction represents the largest activity in the past years and with the highest possible technologies.
Karan Thapar: The Indian papers are speculating that in fact the American government might have put pressure on the Indian government not to pursue the Iranian gas pipeline. Is there any truth to that speculation?
David Mulford: I don't think that is true at all. What we have done—and it is true for as long as I have been here—when that issue has come up—we have indicated to members of the government that we have legislation on our books which is well known and which is directed towards discouraging development of natural resources in Iran. This is legislation, which has not been used but it is there and could come into play, and we feel it is only appropriate to remind people that it is there.
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Total Comments: 3
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It is both sensible and necessary at this juncture to pause and think a little to ponder as to why
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United States Ambassador to India David Mulford would go down in history as one of most pragmatic yet diplomatic foreign
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It's simple Mr. David. We have enemies within our country called communists.
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