India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Locked
Gerard
Forum Moderator
Posts: 8012
Joined: 15 Nov 1999 12:31

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by Gerard »

Don’t Loosen Nuclear Rules for India
By EDWARD J. MARKEY and ELLEN O. TAUSCHER

Edward J. Markey, a Democrat of Massachusetts, is co-chairman of the House Bipartisan Task Force on Nonproliferation. Ellen O. Tauscher, a Democrat of California, is chairwoman of the House Strategic Forces Subcommittee.
Gerard
Forum Moderator
Posts: 8012
Joined: 15 Nov 1999 12:31

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by Gerard »

India urged to sign CTBT
While announcing that Iraq had signed the CTBT in New York yesterday, the Executive secretary of the CTBT preparator commission Tibor Toth said India, North Korea and Pakistan must also become signatories to the treaty
putnanja
BRF Oldie
Posts: 4665
Joined: 26 Mar 2002 12:31
Location: searching for the next al-qaida #3

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by putnanja »

Eleven & very lonely: Indian signatories who want NSG to kill India’s n-deal
Eleven & very lonely: Indian signatories who want NSG to kill India’s n-deal
Shubhajit Roy
Posted online: Thursday, August 21, 2008 at 0257 hrs Print Email

New Delhi, August 20: One group says it’s out of conviction, another says it signed under “peer pressure” and yet another group head said he believed in the opposite of what he signed in the petition.

Related Stories

India hopeful of Swiss support to n-deal waiverKey NSG meet in Vienna this week, India does its bitNSG draft doesn’t make NPT, CTBT binding on IndiaAhead of NSG meet, top US official to visit India
Ad Links

Nuclear Deal UPA Government India CPI Against Manmohan Singh

Meet the groups from India who have signed the petition to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) to kill the Indo-US nuclear deal.

The NSG begins its meeting in Vienna tomorrow.

Nine organizations from India are signatories to the petition, piloted by the Washington DC-based Arms Control Association (ACA). The only two individuals who have signed it are Praful Bidwai (political commentator and author) and Achin Vanaik (professor of international relations in Delhi University). Both are known for their strong advocacy on nuclear non-proliferation.

Ironically, in the debate in the House over the nuclear deal, no political party echoed their stand.

Except for one Indian group, eight of them do not have any website which talks about their credentials, their philosophy or their mission statement.

In fact, the US-based ACA, which has been campaigning against the Indo-US nuclear deal, claims that “a prestigious and broad array” of more than 150 experts and nongovernmental organizations from 24 countries have urged that the NSG should reject a George W. Bush administration proposal to exempt India from longstanding global nuclear trade standards.

The Indian Express spoke to six of the nine groups to ask why they signed a petition which essentially asks India to sign the NPT and CTBT — which have been widely considered to be “discriminatory” in nature by the government and political parties sweeping across the spectrum from the Left to the BJP, and the Congress.

Captain J Rama Rao, who heads the Hyderabad-based Forum for Sustainable Development, said, “I believe that India should not sign the NPT or CTBT.” Then why did he sign the petition which argued just the opposite? “I don’t remember that bit in the petition,” he said. Incidentally, Rao is also convenor of another group, Movement against Uranium Projects, which is also a signatory to the petition.

Santanu Chacraverti, secretary of the Kolkata-based Society for Direct Initiative for Social and Health Action, was candid, “One has to sign these petitions under peer pressure...we were told that if we put our organisation’s name on it, it will carry some weight...this petition was circulated by e-mail.”

But he defended his position and argued for India signing the NPT and CTBT saying that, “there is an element of discrimination” in everything but we should follow certain rules or else, the world will become chaotic.

Anil K. Chaudhary of the Delhi-based Popular Education and Action Centre, was frank: “We don’t have any office nor do we have any full-time staff.” When asked about his position to the nuclear deal, he said, “We are against the use of nuclear energy.”

Saraswati Kavula of the Hyderabad-based Movement Against Uranium Projects said: “This talk of NPT and CTBT being discriminatory in nature is double-talk...then why did we sign the WTO, which is also discriminatory?” glossing over the fact that India’s firm position made the recent Doha Round talks to collapse.

Sukla Sen of Mumbai’s EKTA (Committee for Communal Amity), who piloted the petition against Afzal Guru’s death penalty as well, admitted that “there is no guarantee that America will give up its nuclear weapons,” but contradicted himself as he tried to justify his position that India should still sign the NPT and CTBT, “There is an element of discrimination...but the impact is diluted by the bargain that these nuclear weapon states would reduce their stockpile (of weapons).”

S P Udayakumar, coordinator of People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy in Nagercoil (Tamil Nadu), also a signatory, said, “If we don’t sign the CTBT and NPT, but this nuclear deal goes through, this will lead to arms race in the region between India and Pakistan, China. This will lead to diversion of resources, which can otherwise be used for alleviating poverty.”

There are three more signatories, which include Sujay Basu (Director of the Centre of Energy and Environment Management in Kolkata), Sajaya Kakarla of Caring Citizens Collective (Hyderabad) and N Ramesh of Journalists Against Nuclear Weapons (Thanjavur Chapter).
Gerard
Forum Moderator
Posts: 8012
Joined: 15 Nov 1999 12:31

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by Gerard »

One has to sign these petitions under peer pressure...we were told that if we put our organisation’s name on it, it will carry some weight...this petition was circulated by e-mail.”
Pathetic.
A bunch of beggars and scroungers after NGO grant funding.
ramana
Forum Moderator
Posts: 59773
Joined: 01 Jan 1970 05:30

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by ramana »

Quite few Telugus. Wonder what bug is biting them?
vsudhir
BRF Oldie
Posts: 2173
Joined: 19 Jan 2006 03:44
Location: Dark side of the moon

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by vsudhir »

ramana wrote:Wonder what bug is biting them?
Humbug.

/"Its not a bug, its a feature!"

More seriously, these sellouts by advertising their bikau nature have automatically reduced their own selling price in the credibility mkt, IMHO.
amit
BRF Oldie
Posts: 4325
Joined: 30 Aug 2007 18:28
Location: The Restaurant at the End of the Universe

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by amit »

ramana wrote:Quite few Telugus. Wonder what bug is biting them?
Ramana,

Not only Telegus but Bengalis as well. :x

I think these pathetic folks are part of the generation which has been brainwashed into thinking that being Leftist is being very intellectual. Now with the last Leftist bastion becoming the epicentre of Capitalism, they are left without a mooring and hence are easy meat for folks like the Arms Control people.

Also I suspect there's a bit of self loathing (of being Indian that is) involved.

The sad fact of life is that only the Communist utopia that they worship devised a cure for such mentally challenged folks - re-education camps aka Gulags. Democratic India with its dharmic traditions is powerless in front of these leeches.

PS: I'm sure that some money/funds were promised. If (and that's unfortunately a big IF) the Indian govt is smart they should monitor the money flows of these losers and their organisations.
amit
BRF Oldie
Posts: 4325
Joined: 30 Aug 2007 18:28
Location: The Restaurant at the End of the Universe

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by amit »

awagaman wrote:Do not go by today's story of Bagchi in TOI.
Anyone else notice it is identical to the story run by Samanta in Express?

The source is the same.
And he is unkil.

Think: All the Indian officials in the know are at the NSG -- Shiv Shankar Menon, Shyam Saran, Kakodkar.

But unkil is spinning away in Delhi. To get Indians used to the idea that
(a) their is massive opposition in NSG, which there is not
(b) Nasty suggestions are being foisted on India by these other guys, and not unkil

Caveat emptor!
Awagaman,

There's a simpler explanation for similar reports in TOI and Express.

They are based on private, non-quotable briefings done by the GoI. Journalists based in Delhi who write about foreign affairs are regularly briefed by the Indian government otherwise they wouldn't have a clue of what's going on behind closed doors, none of the NSG, IAEA meetings were/are open to journalists.

If you look for a pattern you will notice that not only in the case of the nuclear deal but almost every single report on India's international interactions read almost the same - a good example would be to read the archived reports of ToI and Express on the recent Doha round where Kamal Nath made his presence felt.

To think that only four people in GoI are aware of what's going on and they are at the meeting is a rather simplistic assumption isn't it?

While it's a fact that the mangement of papers like ToI and Express are decidedly pro-US (just as the mangement of a paper like Hindu is pro-China) don't make it out as if all journalists go to Unkil for briefings before writing about India's relations with the rest of the world. Let me assure you, it doesn't happen like that

JMT
Last edited by amit on 21 Aug 2008 08:56, edited 2 times in total.
amit
BRF Oldie
Posts: 4325
Joined: 30 Aug 2007 18:28
Location: The Restaurant at the End of the Universe

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by amit »

awagaman wrote: Interview with strategic affairs editor of Hindu, Siddharth Varadarajan by the Heinrich Boell foundation website http://www.boell-india.org/which belongs to the Greens Party of Germany. It has been conducted with the upcoming NSG meeting in mind.
http://www.boell-india.org/download_en/ ... -final.pdf

Worth reading it in full.
Certainly worth reading in full. Here's a guy, who while opposed to the cozying up with the US in particular and generally to the nuclear stance of India, diligently bats for the Motherland. An apt lesson for the Arundhati Roys of this world.

Vardarajan makes two interesting points, some of which has been discussed in parts here:
There are practical difficulties, even if the 123 Agreement is placed before
Congress on September 8, as the White House has indicated. But the
securing of NSG clearance, especially if it is clean and unconditional in the
manner India says it must be, will make speedy Congressional approval of
the 123 a near certainty, either before President Bush demits office or
soon after the next President is sworn in. Otherwise, U.S. firms will be
placed at a disadvantage vis-à-vis their Russian and French competitors who, in any case, have a built-in edge because their domestic regulations
and laws will allow them to offer more attractive terms to the Indians than
American vendors will be able to do.
And
While many Indians oppose a strategic alliance with the U.S., and they are
right in doing so, one must be careful in not picking the wrong target for
one’s opposition. Instead of zeroing in on the June 30, 2005 Defence
Framework Agreement, the Left has erred in assuming the nuclear deal
was the centrepiece of this alliance rather than a sop for the Indian elite
to make sure they make the right decisions. Refusing the sop provides no
guarantee that the elite won't make those decisions anyway.
And
accepting the sop does not automatically mean the "alliance" will not
remain an area of contestation within the country and within the ruling
elites themselves. In other words, the deal is not like a Monopoly card
which sends India into a U.S. straitjacket forever. And rejecting the deal
does not mean Indians can be complacent about having avoided that
straitjacket.

The international system, and India's and America's own relative strength
within it, will also undergo change. I think we need to better understand
the emerging trends in Indian capital and its global ambitions. These are
all factors which make for a much more complicated set of scenarios than
either the "polycentric world with no danger of conflict between major
powers" optimism of the strategic analyst K. Subrahmanyam or the "India
will become a lackey of U.S. Imperialism" pessimism of the Left.
ramana
Forum Moderator
Posts: 59773
Joined: 01 Jan 1970 05:30

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by ramana »

There is one way otu even if the NSG waiver has ultra vires stuff in it. India does not buy any thing.
svinayak
BRF Oldie
Posts: 14223
Joined: 09 Feb 1999 12:31

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by svinayak »

LIST
Sorted by relevance Sort by date Sort by date with duplicates included
US Push to Expand India's Nuclear Trade Draws Skepticism
Washington Post, United States - 20 minutes ago
By Glenn Kessler A Bush administration proposal to exempt India from restriction on nuclear trade has aroused skepticism from several members of the ...
Op-Ed Contributors Don’t Loosen Nuclear Rules for India
New York Times, United States - 2 hours ago
By EDWARD J. MARKEY and ELLEN O. TAUSCHER IN the next day or so, an obscure organization will meet to decide the fate of an Indian nuclear deal that ...
NSG meet today to decide on waiver for India
Times of India, India - 2 hours ago
NEW DELHI: It's the denouement of the nuclear deal, being played out in equally theatrical style in one of the coveted corner rooms of the Japanese mission ...
US-India nuclear deal faces crucial meeting
Reuters India, India - 4 hours ago
VIENNA (Reuters) - A civilian nuclear deal between India and the United States faces a crucial test on Thursday when the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group ...
International community split over US-India nuclear deal
Christian Science Monitor, MA - 13 hours ago
Nations participating in the Nuclear Suppliers Group summit will debate whether the deal undermines efforts towards nuclear nonproliferation and sets a ...
harbans
BRF Oldie
Posts: 4883
Joined: 29 Sep 2007 05:01
Location: Dehradun

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by harbans »

Apart from possessing Nuclear weapons India happens also to be a state in possession of Advanced Nuclear Technology and Research programmes which is unlike Iran, Pakistan and North Korea. Giving India a special exemption does not undermine the Non-proliferation regime. Only strengthens it. However denying India special exemption and bracketing it with North Korea, Pakistan and Iran provides legitimacy to that group of nations. The NPAs are inadvertantly strengthening the rogue nuclear nations on India's expense. This point must be made clear at the NSG.
amit
BRF Oldie
Posts: 4325
Joined: 30 Aug 2007 18:28
Location: The Restaurant at the End of the Universe

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by amit »

harbans wrote: The NPAs are inadvertantly strengthening the rogue nuclear nations on India's expense. This point must be made clear at the NSG.
Harbans,

IMO that's exactly what the NPAs want to do. Denying India its place on the high table and bracketing it with North Korea, Pakistan and Iran has now become the raison d'etre of the NPA lobby.

Consider this, the NPA lobby came into existence to box India in by any means, whatever means. Now after all these years if it is proved that strategy was ill advised and wrong, where do the Kimballs of the world go?

We jocularly talk about them needing a career change if India gets the deal but that's a deadly serious issue for them.

On the other hand, if India can be pushed into the league of rogue nations and pissed off sufficiently for it to do some proliferation (which it should IMO, if pushed into the corner) then these NPA can turn around and say: "See we were right all along"!

A sense of decency and fair play only exists in Indian minds, sadly.
RajeshA
BRF Oldie
Posts: 16006
Joined: 28 Dec 2007 19:30

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by RajeshA »

N-deal: 'We can pull it off at NSG' by Aziz Haniffa: rediff.com
For the past two years, Graham Wisner, counsel at the top international lobbying firm of Patton Boggs, headquartered in Washington, DC, has been the point man on Capitol Hill for US business and industry to push through the US-India civilian nuclear deal, ever since his firm was retained by the US-India Business Council.

In an interview with India Abroad's Aziz Haniffa, the rediff.com owned newspaper in the United States, he discusses the constraints of the Congressional calendar, the opposition from Congressman Howard Berman, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee to the deal, and other impediments to pushing through the agreement this year, and even as he expresses confidence that it can be done, acknowledges that it depends largely on the Nuclear Suppliers Group endorsing the accord when it meets in Vienna [Images] on August 21-22 so that the administration can have it ready for action by the US Congress when it reconvenes September 8
RajeshA
BRF Oldie
Posts: 16006
Joined: 28 Dec 2007 19:30

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by RajeshA »

NSG meets today to decide on nuclear waiver to India : PTI
diplomatic sources said Austria and New Zealand were holding up the approval after Ireland reportedly softened its opposition, saying it was aware of the importance attached to the nuclear deal by New Delhi and of the considerable support that exists for its energy diversification.
Which again proves the age-old adage all politics is local.

I had mentioned this in an earlier post as well.
There are general elections to Austria's National Council on 28th September, 2008, and the Green Party could very well hold the balance in the next Council and could decide whether Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPOe) or Austrian People's Party (OeVP) forms the next Govt.

In New Zealand, elections are slated for sometime before 15th November, 2008. At the moment Helen Clark, who is herself a non-proliferation hawk, and perhaps was key to the legislation which bars ships carrying nuclear weapons on board to dock in New Zealand, is the PM of a minority Labour Party Govt, dependent on the crucial outside support of the Greens. I think, if one thinks about the UPA-Left Committee, and the smileless face of PM Dr. Manmohan Singh, one gets the picture. This will be the 4th term to which Helen Clark would like to be elected to and she might not wish to take any chances.
Also from an earlier post:
Meanwhile, Austria's Green Party, the third largest political party after the socialists and conservatives, has decided to stage a demonstration outside Japan's permanent mission to the IAEA, where the NSG will meet on Thursday.

"We will hold banners saying, 'Have the courage to say no to the India-US nuclear deal'. We will make anti nuclear speeches and demand that the NSG say no to the nuclear ambitions of India and the US," Ulrike Lunacek, Green Party spokesperson, said.
There will be opposition from only two parties at the NSG: Ursula Plassnik, Foreign Minister of Austria and Phil Goff, Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control of New Zealand.
Rahul M
Forum Moderator
Posts: 17168
Joined: 17 Aug 2005 21:09
Location: Skies over BRFATA
Contact:

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by Rahul M »

up!
NSG watchers please keep us posted.
p_saggu
BRFite
Posts: 1058
Joined: 26 Nov 2004 20:03

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by p_saggu »

Never mind the naysayers,
A president, a Prime Minister (Both leaders of the two most important democracies in the world) and at least a Billion people (About a sixth of humanity) are in favour of the deal.
Now let these groups try and best that.
p_saggu
BRFite
Posts: 1058
Joined: 26 Nov 2004 20:03

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by p_saggu »

So I guess these two Austria and New Zealand are the ones with the least Business interests in India for them to play hardball. Now what sort of leverage do we have with these guys?
SSridhar
Forum Moderator
Posts: 25087
Joined: 05 May 2001 11:31
Location: Chennai

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by SSridhar »

The channels are saying that the Indian team is confident that a favourable decision will be there by tomorrow. In the worst case, there has to be another meeting, it will be within 72 hours. One news channel, quoting Western diplomats said that the Indian briefing in the morning served well though there were many questions from some countries. Looks like that NZ is the biggest stunbling block as it wants India to sign every known treaty on Earth and get rid of its nuclear weapons.

Doesn't it look ironical that a country which is so obsessed with anything 'nuclear', is part of a 'Nuclear Suppliers Group' rather than the 'Nuclear Non-suppliers Group' ? May be time to expel these 'principled' countries from such bodies.
RajeshA
BRF Oldie
Posts: 16006
Joined: 28 Dec 2007 19:30

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by RajeshA »

p_saggu wrote:So I guess these two Austria and New Zealand are the ones with the least Business interests in India for them to play hardball. Now what sort of leverage do we have with these guys?
Austria in not really like Switzerland with MNCs like Nestle, ABB, etc with business interests all over the world. Austria is basically confined to EU. One can think of boycotting Swarowski and drinking less Red Bull, but other than that there is not much one could do. In terms of GDP per capita Austria is one of the 10th richest countries, so well India couldn't really start an Aid program similar to the one we have with Afghanistan.
We could of course put up a concerted effort to paint the Greens in Austria as extremists, who want ruin India's environment by forcing coal-based thermal plants down our throats, and if Green NGOs from India do the targetting, and it is broadcasted prominently then that could help.
Or the Indian Parliament can declare some quota in primary schools, and public and private sector for H0m06uals. The foreign affairs spokesperson for the Greens in Austria, Ulrike Lunacek, is a militant Le$bian, so she might oblige. :mrgreen:

NZ is another NPT pervert impervious to pressure. One can also ask the Auckland Indians to bring out a demonstration against Phil Goff, the NZ Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control, for his anti-Indian racist bias. He may fear losing his seat in the next elections in November, '08. That may help.
They will probably jump up, if we say that in case they don't allow us entry into the civilized world through the NSG door, we will feel the unstoppable urge to do some nuclear testing in the South Pacific every Christmas. :D
awagaman
BRFite -Trainee
Posts: 37
Joined: 13 Aug 2008 16:27

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by awagaman »

Janta here, we should keep the discussion here civilised and not be abusive about NZ and co. They have a point of view, let us respect it and find a way to convince them. Showering gaalis and talking bravado is not helpful and they only have to read some of the more extremist comments here to feel all smug and superior that Indians are just rude people who don's respect the others.
RajeshA
BRF Oldie
Posts: 16006
Joined: 28 Dec 2007 19:30

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by RajeshA »

awagaman wrote:Janta here, we should keep the discussion here civilised and not be abusive about NZ and co. They have a point of view, let us respect it and find a way to convince them. Showering gaalis and talking bravado is not helpful and they only have to read some of the more extremist comments here to feel all smug and superior that Indians are just rude people who don's respect the others.
Awagaman,
Basically you are right. However if they are civilized, as you say, they will understand some black humor.

Anyway if we were any more polite, we would be diplomats.

I believe, extremism is something quite different.
RajeshA
BRF Oldie
Posts: 16006
Joined: 28 Dec 2007 19:30

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by RajeshA »

Many NSG members ’satisfied’ with India’s briefing: IANS
A senior German official described the mood inside as ” very, very positive” and expressed satisfaction at what Menon said.
SSridhar
Forum Moderator
Posts: 25087
Joined: 05 May 2001 11:31
Location: Chennai

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by SSridhar »

awagaman wrote:Janta here, we should keep the discussion here civilised and not be abusive about NZ and co. They have a point of view, let us respect it and find a way to convince them. Showering gaalis and talking bravado is not helpful and they only have to read some of the more extremist comments here to feel all smug and superior that Indians are just rude people who don's respect the others.
awagaman, if you are referring to my post, I would like you to point out where it is uncivilized and abusive and bravado.
RajeshA
BRF Oldie
Posts: 16006
Joined: 28 Dec 2007 19:30

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by RajeshA »

SSridhar wrote:
awagaman wrote:Janta here, we should keep the discussion here civilised and not be abusive about NZ and co. They have a point of view, let us respect it and find a way to convince them. Showering gaalis and talking bravado is not helpful and they only have to read some of the more extremist comments here to feel all smug and superior that Indians are just rude people who don's respect the others.
awagaman, if you are referring to my post, I would like you to point out where it is uncivilized and abusive and bravado.
I believe that honor is mine, you understand, only mine! :mrgreen:
Rahul M
Forum Moderator
Posts: 17168
Joined: 17 Aug 2005 21:09
Location: Skies over BRFATA
Contact:

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by Rahul M »

when can we expect some decision ?? any pointers ?
SSridhar
Forum Moderator
Posts: 25087
Joined: 05 May 2001 11:31
Location: Chennai

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by SSridhar »

Rahul M, it won't be before evening tomorrow, if everything goes all right.
svinayak
BRF Oldie
Posts: 14223
Joined: 09 Feb 1999 12:31

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by svinayak »

RajeshA wrote:
Acharya wrote:The Catholic movement has two primary tentacles in the Asian theater. One coordinated from Phillipinies, aiming at the evangelization of Vietnam, Korea, China, Japan etc. The other, of relevance to India, is based in Australia and New Zealand. Here, with active collaboration from the Protestants, they stage and coordinate the evangelization of Indonesia (involving in the separation of East Timor, and the slaughter of Indians in Fiji, amongst other things). Much of the evangelical movement in India (e.g. the missionary schools), are directed by the Catholic establishment in New Zealand. Australia provides a good cover for this
Even if it was a Catholic conspiracy, doesn't Sonia Gandhi's Catholic credentials count for anything?

I understand your suspicions Acharya ji. I myself do not really buy much into Da Vinci Code theories. However Austria and Ireland, the other outposts of opposition are indeed strongly Catholic countries.
So do you think since SG is catholic they will pass this deal. Their view of India has been formed over many centuries during the colonization period.
RajeshA
BRF Oldie
Posts: 16006
Joined: 28 Dec 2007 19:30

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by RajeshA »

NSG members start deliberations on Indian waiver: IANS
‘I don’t want to say anything yet,’ Menon said about the mood of NSG members he had met on Wednesday.’I will tell you everything once the meeting is over on Friday evening,’ Menon told IANS.
Suppiah
BRF Oldie
Posts: 2569
Joined: 03 Oct 2002 11:31
Location: -
Contact:

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by Suppiah »

With all respect to the NZ point of view, how did they end up in the NSG? Because they are white or because they supply special quality milk and cheese to those working in nuclear power plants?
RajeshA
BRF Oldie
Posts: 16006
Joined: 28 Dec 2007 19:30

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by RajeshA »

Acharya wrote:So do you think since SG is catholic they will pass this deal. Their view of India has been formed over many centuries during the colonization period.
Acharya Ji,
that was only tongue-in-cheek Saar!

However, the fact that SG is Catholic and the leader of the majority party of the governing coalition and the heir to the rich Congress legacy, should at least allay their apprehensions, that India is overtly hostile to Vatican or Catholicism. Of course, I agree, that depending on their animosity towards Hinduism, that may still be wishful thinking.

In my defense, I would say, that the SG comment was in response to your theory, and I did not try to claim that SG's religion would have any positive influence to the passage of the deal.
RajeshA
BRF Oldie
Posts: 16006
Joined: 28 Dec 2007 19:30

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by RajeshA »

Suppiah wrote:With all respect to the NZ point of view, how did they end up in the NSG? Because they are white or because they supply special quality milk and cheese to those working in nuclear power plants?
:rotfl:

No, they filled in the correct form in pretty handwriting. :)
Last edited by RajeshA on 21 Aug 2008 20:38, edited 1 time in total.
svinayak
BRF Oldie
Posts: 14223
Joined: 09 Feb 1999 12:31

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by svinayak »

RajeshA wrote:
In my defense, I would say, that the SG comment was in response to your theory, and I did not try to claim that SG's religion would have any positive influence to the passage of the deal.
It is not a theory but a reality that these countries look at other nations based on religion. Christian and Catholic supremacy is still sought after.
Gerard
Forum Moderator
Posts: 8012
Joined: 15 Nov 1999 12:31

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by Gerard »

NSG meets on India waiver issue, 3 nations raise questions
The grouping, that controls international nuclear trade, will meet again on Friday for discussions on the crucial issue amid indications that there could be no decision during the two-day-long deliberations and another meeting could be called soon after to take the final view.
Last edited by Gerard on 21 Aug 2008 21:00, edited 1 time in total.
RajeshA
BRF Oldie
Posts: 16006
Joined: 28 Dec 2007 19:30

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by RajeshA »

Acharya wrote:
RajeshA wrote:
In my defense, I would say, that the SG comment was in response to your theory, and I did not try to claim that SG's religion would have any positive influence to the passage of the deal.
It is not a theory but a reality that these countries look at other nations based on religion. Christian and Catholic supremacy is still sought after.
There could be some fear in them, that with the emergence of a confident Indian middle class, a crystallization of an Indian elite and through rapid growth and the ebbing away of poverty, there may not be sufficient incentive for the non-Christian Indian to convert to Christianity, espl. as Hinduism provides all elements of spiritual fulfillment.

In China, rapid growth has meant more access to Christianity as the country had been kept on a Godless diet for a long time and the prevalent spirituality in China did not have a strong edifice. In India, rapid growth means just the opposite.

That much to my thinking on the subject and that too in the wrong thread. I am skeptical however, how much influence the Christian lobby would have had on the Indian nuclear deal and how vicious the opposition would have been.

A certain racism could surely have played a part in any eager acceptance of India as a major player and power. In USA, where Indians have a different image, it was hardly an issue. However in old British outposts like Australia, NZ, Canada, Ireland, etc. as well as in Europe where India may still be a snake-charmer in the subconsciousness, the opposition has been stronger. I guess, many countries are still rubbing their eyes, not quite believing them, that USA is willing to give India a promotion and is being asked to sup on the same table as them.
Gerard
Forum Moderator
Posts: 8012
Joined: 15 Nov 1999 12:31

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by Gerard »

Putin vows to help India get NSG waiver
Russian president Vladimir Putin arrived here on Thursday, a step ahead of the game, with promises of nuclear cooperation and to help India get beyond international curbs.
Even as Russia promised to help India get an exemption in the Nuclear Suppliers Group, the two countries signed a Memorandum of Intent to build four new power units in Kudankulam (Tamil Nadu), as well as new nuclear plants throughout India.
RajeshA
BRF Oldie
Posts: 16006
Joined: 28 Dec 2007 19:30

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by RajeshA »

Gerard that Article is from 26 Jan 2007. I too almost made the mistake of marking it. :)
Last edited by RajeshA on 21 Aug 2008 21:20, edited 1 time in total.
NRao
BRF Oldie
Posts: 19226
Joined: 01 Jan 1970 05:30
Location: Illini Nation

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by NRao »

NRao
BRF Oldie
Posts: 19226
Joined: 01 Jan 1970 05:30
Location: Illini Nation

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by NRao »

Outlook: http://www.outlookindia.com/pti_news.asp?id=601539
LALITHA VAIDYANATHAN VIENNA, AUG 21 (PTI)
The 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) met here today to consider whether or not India should be allowed to resume civil nuclear trade with the international community.

Assembling amid continued reservations of at least three member countries, the NSG considered a draft of the waiver which is to be adopted by consensus by the grouping.

The draft, moved by the US, recognises India's Separation Plan of its nuclear facilities and contains "voluntary" commitments made by New Delhi towards ensuring non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.

The two-page draft takes note of India's commitment to "continuing its unilateral moratorium" on nuclear tests and declaring its readiness to "work with others towards conclusion of a multilateral Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT)."

The document also recognises India's pledge to "refrain from transferring enrichment and reprocessing technology to states that do not already possess these."

While taking note of the Safeguards Agreement reached between India and the IAEA, the draft also has the mention about New Delhi's commitment to sign and adhere to an Additional Protocol (with IAEA) with respect to India's civil nuclear facilities.
Gerard
Forum Moderator
Posts: 8012
Joined: 15 Nov 1999 12:31

Re: India Nuclear News and Discussion 23 July 2008

Post by Gerard »

RajeshA wrote:Gerard that Article is from 26 Jan 2007. I too almost made the mistake of marking it. :)
TOI has it on their front page of all places :oops:
Locked