US eases export controls on equipment for Indian nuclear facilities

The United States on Friday eased its export licensing policies that would foster cooperation in commercial space programs and permit certain exports to power plants at safeguarded nuclear facilities in India.

"In January 2004, the United States and India agreed to expand cooperation in three specific areas: civilian nuclear activities, civilian space programs, and high-technology trade," the State Department said in a statement issued after talks in Washington between Indian Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran and US Undersecretary of State for political affairs Marc Grossman.

Thanks to joint efforts on Phase One of the Next Steps in Strategic Partnership (NSSP) initiative between the two countries,the US was able to make modifications to its export licensing policies "that will foster cooperation in commercial space programs and permit certain exports to power plants at safeguarded nuclear facilities in India," said the statement.

"These modifications, including removing the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) Headquarters from the Department of Commerce Entity List, are fully consistent with US Government nonproliferation laws, obligations, and objectives," the statementsaid.

The statement noted that the progress announced on Friday was only the first phase in the effort to move forward the NSSP.

Washington's easing of export policies was regarded as a major milestone in Indian efforts to break out of the international high-technology isolation after the United States eased sanctions imposed on India for its nuclear test blasts in 1998.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who took office in May, will meet Bush for the first time in New York next week on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

Source: Xinhua