Facing a “tight timetable”, the US on Friday pushed a reluctant Japan and other members of the NSG to agree to a waiver for India “expeditiously” for enabling the Indo-US nuclear deal, saying the accord will be a “practical way” of engaging New Delhi on non-proliferation. “The question we’re dealing with now is what’s the best way to get more convergence between what we do within the non-proliferation treaty and what India does outside,” US assistant secretary of state Richard Boucher told reporters here, adding that India has made it “very clear” that signing NPT “is not on the cards”. Asked about the possibility of the deal taking effect before President George W. Bush’s term ends in January, he said: “It is a tight timetable. We are asking... the NSG to move expeditiously.”
He also dismissed concerns the agreement with India may open up a window for Pakistan to seek a similar deal. “India has a solid record of non-proliferation, controlling exports, and a responsible international behaviour in that regard,” he said. “So it was considered as an arrangement that worked with regard to India, not as some kind of model for other countries.” He pushed Japan, which wants India to sign the NPT.
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