asia cautiously optimistic on us-india nuclear dea Asia...

asia cautiously optimistic on us-india nuclear dea Asia cautiously optimistic on US-India nuclear deal

Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 3-Mar-2006 16:13 hrs

An Indian policeman at the Old Fort in New Delhi, where US President George W. Bush delivered a speech during his visit to the Indian capital. The nuclear deal between the United States and India received a mostly positive response in the Asia Pacific, with Japan and Australia leading the upbeat assessments but China voicing caution

The nuclear deal between the United States and India received a mostly positive response in the Asia Pacific, with Japan and Australia leading the upbeat assessments but China voicing caution.
.
US President George W. Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh signed the deal in New Delhi on Thursday that paves the way for the lifting of three-decade-old restrictions on sharing civilian nuclear technology.
.
Bush and Singh hailed the deal as historic, with the arrangement being seen as a landmark moment in bilateral ties that have steadily improved following decades of strained relations that date back to the Cold War.
.
China voiced the strongest official note of regional caution shortly after the deal was announced when it said New Delhi and Washington must follow global nuclear non-proliferation rules.
.
"Cooperation must conform with the requirements and provisions of the international non-proliferation regime and the obligations undertaken by all countries," foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said on Thursday.
.
India and similarly nuclear-armed regional rival Pakistan have refused to sign on to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
.
However China, whose containment was believed to be one reason for the United States wanting to embrace India on the nuclear issue, publicly refrained from saying anything more critical.
.
Key regional US ally Japan, which is also seeking closer relations with India, welcomed the deal and rejected assertions that New Delhi should be held to the same standards as international pariah North Korea.
.
"India is a country that shares the values of freedom, democracy, basic human rights and the rule of law with the United States and Japan," Chief Cabinet Secretary and government spokesman Shinzo Abe told reporters.
.
"It is wrong to discuss the Indian nuclear issue and that of North Korea on the same level."
.
Japan and the United States, along with China, South Korea and Russia, are involved in long-running diplomatic efforts to convince Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons program.
.
Like India and Pakistan, North Korea is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
.
Australia welcomed the US-India deal, saying Washington had at least convinced New Delhi to open up its civilian nuclear reactors to inspections from the UN's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency.
.
"It's a good step forward in what's been a difficult situation," Foreign Minister Alexander Downer told public radio.
.
But Downer ruled out lifting a ban on uranium exports to India while New Delhi continued to refuse to sign the non-proliferation treaty.
.
"It would open up questions of whether we'd export uranium to countries like Israel and Pakistan as well and I think it's probably easier for us to support the current policy," he said.
.
In Pakistan, where Bush was due to travel following his visit to India, officials expressed hope the United States would give Islamabad the same kind of civilian nuclear help as it had just extended to New Delhi.
.
"We hope that we will also get the same kind of cooperation," Pakistani foreign ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam told AFP on Thursday.
.
However Pakistan looked extremely unlikely to receive such an offer with memories still fresh of Pakistani atomic scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan leaking nuclear secrets to Iran, North Korea and Libya.
.
Meanwhile, IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei said the US-India deal would boost non-proliferation efforts.
.
Ralph Cossa, a regional analyst and director of the Pacific Forum in Honolulu, Hawaii, said most Asian nations would view the US-India deal fairly positively.
.
"They would be happy to see the United States and India get along cooperatively in this area," Cossa said.
.
"Also, the non-proliferation regime is not as big an issue in Asia as in Europe and the United States... most Asians think the non-proliferation treaty is a major powers issue. It doesn't affect them as much." — AFP
The nuclear deal between the United States and India received a mostly positive response in the Asia Pacific, with Japan and Australia leading the upbeat assessments but China voicing caution.
.
US President George W. Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh signed the deal in New Delhi on Thursday that paves the way for the lifting of three-decade-old restrictions on sharing civilian nuclear technology.
.
Bush and Singh hailed the deal as historic, with the arrangement being seen as a landmark moment in bilateral ties that have steadily improved following decades of strained relations that date back to the Cold War.
.
China voiced the strongest official note of regional caution shortly after the deal was announced when it said New Delhi and Washington must follow global nuclear non-proliferation rules.
.
"Cooperation must conform with the requirements and provisions of the international non-proliferation regime and the obligations undertaken by all countries," foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said on Thursday.
.
India and similarly nuclear-armed regional rival Pakistan have refused to sign on to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
.
However China, whose containment was believed to be one reason for the United States wanting to embrace India on the nuclear issue, publicly refrained from saying anything more critical.
.
Key regional US ally Japan, which is also seeking closer relations with India, welcomed the deal and rejected assertions that New Delhi should be held to the same standards as international pariah North Korea.
.
"India is a country that shares the values of freedom, democracy, basic human rights and the rule of law with the United States and Japan," Chief Cabinet Secretary and government spokesman Shinzo Abe told reporters.
.
"It is wrong to discuss the Indian nuclear issue and that of North Korea on the same level."
.
Japan and the United States, along with China, South Korea and Russia, are involved in long-running diplomatic efforts to convince Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons program.
.
Like India and Pakistan, North Korea is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
.
Australia welcomed the US-India deal, saying Washington had at least convinced New Delhi to open up its civilian nuclear reactors to inspections from the UN's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency.
.
"It's a good step forward in what's been a difficult situation," Foreign Minister Alexander Downer told public radio.
.
But Downer ruled out lifting a ban on uranium exports to India while New Delhi continued to refuse to sign the non-proliferation treaty.
.
"It would open up questions of whether we'd export uranium to countries like Israel and Pakistan as well and I think it's probably easier for us to support the current policy," he said.
.
In Pakistan, where Bush was due to travel following his visit to India, officials expressed hope the United States would give Islamabad the same kind of civilian nuclear help as it had just extended to New Delhi.
.
"We hope that we will also get the same kind of cooperation," Pakistani foreign ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam told AFP on Thursday.
.
However Pakistan looked extremely unlikely to receive such an offer with memories still fresh of Pakistani atomic scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan leaking nuclear secrets to Iran, North Korea and Libya.
.
Meanwhile, IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei said the US-India deal would boost non-proliferation efforts.
.
Ralph Cossa, a regional analyst and director of the Pacific Forum in Honolulu, Hawaii, said most Asian nations would view the US-India deal fairly positively.
.
"They would be happy to see the United States and India get along cooperatively in this area," Cossa said.
.
"Also, the non-proliferation regime is not as big an issue in Asia as in Europe and the United States... most Asians think the non-proliferation treaty is a major powers issue. It doesn't affect them as much." — AFP The nuclear deal between the United States and India received a mostly positive response in the Asia Pacific, with Japan and Australia leading the upbeat assessments but China voicing caution.
.
US President George W. Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh signed the deal in New Delhi on Thursday that paves the way for the lifting of three-decade-old restrictions on sharing civilian nuclear technology.
.
Bush and Singh hailed the deal as historic, with the arrangement being seen as a landmark moment in bilateral ties that have steadily improved following decades of strained relations that date back to the Cold War.
.
China voiced the strongest official note of regional caution shortly after the deal was announced when it said New Delhi and Washington must follow global nuclear non-proliferation rules.
.
"Cooperation must conform with the requirements and provisions of the international non-proliferation regime and the obligations undertaken by all countries," foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said on Thursday.
.
India and similarly nuclear-armed regional rival Pakistan have refused to sign on to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
.
However China, whose containment was believed to be one reason for the
The nuclear deal between the United States and India received a mostly positive response in the Asia Pacific, with Japan and Australia leading the upbeat assessments but China voicing caution.
.
US President George W. Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh signed the deal in New Delhi on Thursday that paves the way for the lifting of three-decade-old restrictions on sharing civilian nuclear technology.
.
Bush and Singh hailed the deal as historic, with the arrangement being seen as a landmark moment in bilateral ties that have steadily improved following decades of strained relations that date back to the Cold War.
.
China voiced the strongest official note of regional caution shortly after the deal was announced when it said New Delhi and Washington must follow global nuclear non-proliferation rules.
.
"Cooperation must conform with the requirements and provisions of the international non-proliferation regime and the obligations undertaken by all countries," foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said on Thursday.
.
India and similarly nuclear-armed regional rival Pakistan have refused to sign on to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
.
However China, whose containment was believed to be one reason for the United States wanting to embrace India on the nuclear issue, publicly refrained from saying anything more critical.
.
Key regional US ally Japan, which is also seeking closer relations with India, welcomed the deal and rejected assertions that New Delhi should be held to the same standards as international pariah North Korea.
.
"India is a country that shares the values of freedom, democracy, basic human rights and the rule of law with the United States and Japan," Chief Cabinet Secretary and government spokesman Shinzo Abe told reporters.
.
"It is wrong to discuss the Indian nuclear issue and that of North Korea on the same level."
.
Japan and the United States, along with China, South Korea and Russia, are involved in long-running diplomatic efforts to convince Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons program.
.
Like India and Pakistan, North Korea is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
.
Australia welcomed the US-India deal, saying Washington had at least convinced New Delhi to open up its civilian nuclear reactors to inspections from the UN's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency.
.
"It's a good step forward in what's been a difficult situation," Foreign Minister Alexander Downer told public radio.
.
But Downer ruled out lifting a ban on uranium exports to India while New Delhi continued to refuse to sign the non-proliferation treaty.
.
"It would open up questions of whether we'd export uranium to countries like Israel and Pakistan as well and I think it's probably easier for us to support the current policy," he said.
.
In Pakistan, where Bush was due to travel following his visit to India, officials expressed hope the United States would give Islamabad the same kind of civilian nuclear help as it had just extended to New Delhi.
.
"We hope that we will also get the same kind of cooperation," Pakistani foreign ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam told AFP on Thursday.
.
However Pakistan looked extremely unlikely to receive such an offer with memories still fresh of Pakistani atomic scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan leaking nuclear secrets to Iran, North Korea and Libya.
.
Meanwhile, IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei said the US-India deal would boost non-proliferation efforts.
.
Ralph Cossa, a regional analyst and director of the Pacific Forum in Honolulu, Hawaii, said most Asian nations would view the US-India deal fairly positively.
.
"They would be happy to see the United States and India get along cooperatively in this area," Cossa said.
.
"Also, the non-proliferation regime is not as big an issue in Asia as in Europe and the United States... most Asians think the non-proliferation treaty is a major powers issue. It doesn't affect them as much." — AFP The nuclear deal between the United States and India received a mostly positive response in the Asia Pacific, with Japan and Australia leading the upbeat assessments but China voicing caution.
.
US President George W. Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh signed the deal in New Delhi on Thursday that paves the way for the lifting of three-decade-old restrictions on sharing civilian nuclear technology.
.
Bush and Singh hailed the deal as historic, with the arrangement being seen as a landmark moment in bilateral ties that have steadily improved following decades of strained relations that date back to the Cold War.
.
China voiced the strongest official note of regional caution shortly after the deal was announced when it said New Delhi and Washington must follow global nuclear non-proliferation rules.
.
"Cooperation must conform with the requirements and provisions of the international non-proliferation regime and the obligations undertaken by all countries," foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said on Thursday.
.
India and similarly nuclear-armed regional rival Pakistan have refused to sign on to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
.
However China, whose containment was believed to be one reason for the United States wanting to embrace India on the nuclear issue, publicly refrained from saying anything more critical.
.
Key regional US ally Japan, which is also seeking closer relations with India, welcomed the deal and rejected assertions that New Delhi should be held to the same standards as international pariah North Korea.
.
"India is a country that shares the values of freedom, democracy, basic human rights and the rule of law with the United States and Japan," Chief Cabinet Secretary and government spokesman Shinzo Abe told reporters.
.
"It is wrong to discuss the Indian nuclear issue and that of North Korea on the same level."
.
Japan and the United States, along with China, South Korea and Russia, are involved in long-running diplomatic efforts to convince Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons program.
.
Like India and Pakistan, North Korea is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
.
Australia welcomed the US-India deal, saying Washington had at least convinced New Delhi to open up its civilian nuclear reactors to inspections from the UN's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency.
.
"It's a good step forward in what's been a difficult situation," Foreign
The nuclear deal between the United States and India received a mostly positive response in the Asia Pacific, with Japan and Australia leading the upbeat assessments but China voicing caution.
.
US President George W. Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh signed the deal in New Delhi on Thursday that paves the way for the lifting of three-decade-old restrictions on sharing civilian nuclear technology.
.
Bush and Singh hailed the deal as historic, with the arrangement being seen as a landmark moment in bilateral ties that have steadily improved following decades of strained relations that date back to the Cold War.
.
China voiced the strongest official note of regional caution shortly after the deal was announced when it said New Delhi and Washington must follow global nuclear non-proliferation rules.
.
"Cooperation must conform with the requirements and provisions of the international non-proliferation regime and the obligations undertaken by all countries," foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said on Thursday.
.
India and similarly nuclear-armed regional rival Pakistan have refused to sign on to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
.
However China, whose containment was believed to be one reason for the United States wanting to embrace India on the nuclear issue, publicly refrained from saying anything more critical.
.
Key regional US ally Japan, which is also seeking closer relations with India, welcomed the deal and rejected assertions that New Delhi should be held to the same standards as international pariah North Korea.
.
"India is a country that shares the values of freedom, democracy, basic human rights and the rule of law with the United States and Japan," Chief Cabinet Secretary and government spokesman Shinzo Abe told reporters.
.
"It is wrong to discuss the Indian nuclear issue and that of North Korea on the same level."
.
Japan and the United States, along with China, South Korea and Russia, are involved in long-running diplomatic efforts to convince Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons program.
.
Like India and Pakistan, North Korea is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
.
Australia welcomed the US-India deal, saying Washington had at least convinced New Delhi to open up its civilian nuclear reactors to inspections from the UN's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency.
.
"It's a good step forward in what's been a difficult situation," Foreign Minister Alexander Downer told public radio.
.
But Downer ruled out lifting a ban on uranium exports to India while New Delhi continued to refuse to sign the non-proliferation treaty.
.
"It would open up questions of whether we'd export uranium to countries like Israel and Pakistan as well and I think it's probably easier for us to support the current policy," he said.
.
In Pakistan, where Bush was due to travel following his visit to India, officials expressed hope the United States would give Islamabad the same kind of civilian nuclear help as it had just extended to New Delhi.
.
"We hope that we will also get the same kind of cooperation," Pakistani foreign ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam told AFP on Thursday.
.
However Pakistan looked extremely unlikely to receive such an offer with memories still fresh of Pakistani atomic scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan leaking nuclear secrets to Iran, North Korea and Libya.
.
Meanwhile, IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei said the US-India deal would boost non-proliferation efforts.
.
Ralph Cossa, a regional analyst and director of the Pacific Forum in Honolulu, Hawaii, said most Asian nations would view the US-India deal fairly positively.
.
"They would be happy to see the United States and India get along cooperatively in this area," Cossa said.
.
"Also, the non-proliferation regime is not as big an issue in Asia as in Europe and the United States... most Asians think the non-proliferation treaty is a major powers issue. It doesn't affect them as much." — AFP The nuclear deal between the United States and India received a mostly positive response in the Asia Pacific, with Japan and Australia leading the upbeat assessments but China voicing caution.
.
US President George W. Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh signed the deal in New Delhi on Thursday that paves the way for the lifting of three-decade-old restrictions on sharing civilian nuclear technology.
.
Bush and Singh hailed the deal as historic, with the arrangement being seen as a landmark moment in bilateral ties that have steadily improved following decades of strained relations that date back to the Cold War.
.
China voiced the strongest official note of regional caution shortly after the deal was announced when it said New Delhi and Washington must follow global nuclear non-proliferation rules.
.
"Cooperation must conform with the requirements and provisions of the international non-proliferation regime and the obligations undertaken by all countries," foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said on Thursday.
.
India and similarly nuclear-armed regional rival Pakistan have refused to sign on to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
.
However China, whose containment was believed to be one reason for the United States wanting to embrace India on the nuclear issue, publicly refrained from saying anything more critical.
.
Key regional US ally Japan, which is also seeking closer relations with India, welcomed the deal and rejected assertions that New Delhi should be held to the same standards as international pariah North Korea.
.
"India is a country that shares the values of freedom, democracy, basic human rights and the rule of law with the United States and Japan," Chief Cabinet Secretary and government spokesman Shinzo Abe told reporters.
.
"It is wrong to discuss the Indian nuclear issue and that of North Korea on the same level."
.
Japan and the United States, along with China, South Korea and Russia, are involved in long-running diplomatic efforts to convince Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons program.
.
Like India and Pakistan, North Korea is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
.
Australia welcomed the US-India deal, saying Washington had at least convinced New Delhi to open up its civilian nuclear reactors to inspections from the UN's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency.
.
"It's a good step forward in what's been a difficult situation," Foreign Minister Alexander Downer told public radio.
.
But Downer ruled out lifting a ban on uranium exports to India while New Delhi continued to refuse to sign the non-proliferation treaty.
.
"It would open up questions of whether we'd export uranium to countries like Israel and Pakistan as well and I think it's probably easier for us to support the current policy," he said.
.
In Pakistan, where Bush was due to travel following his visit to India, officials expressed hope the United States would give Islamabad the same kind of civilian nuclear help as it had just extended to New Delhi.
.
"We hope that we will also get the same kind of cooperation," Pakistani foreign ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam told AFP on Thursday.
.
However Pakistan looked extremely unlikely to receive such an offer with memories still fresh of Pakistani atomic scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan leaking nuclear secrets to Iran, North Korea and Libya.
.
Meanwhile, IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei said the US-India deal would boost non-proliferation efforts.
.
Ralph Cossa, a regional analyst and director of the Pacific Forum in Honolulu, Hawaii, said most Asian nations would view the US-India deal
The nuclear deal between the United States and India received a mostly positive response in the Asia Pacific, with Japan and Australia leading the upbeat assessments but China voicing caution.
.
US President George W. Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh signed the deal in New Delhi on Thursday that paves the way for the lifting of three-decade-old restrictions on sharing civilian nuclear technology.
.
Bush and Singh hailed the deal as historic, with the arrangement being seen as a landmark moment in bilateral ties that have steadily improved following decades of strained relations that date back to the Cold War.
.
China voiced the strongest official note of regional caution shortly after the deal was announced when it said New Delhi and Washington must follow global nuclear non-proliferation rules.
.
"Cooperation must conform with the requirements and provisions of the international non-proliferation regime and the obligations undertaken by all countries," foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said on Thursday.
.
India and similarly nuclear-armed regional rival Pakistan have refused to sign on to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
.
However China, whose containment was believed to be one reason for the United States wanting to embrace India on the nuclear issue, publicly refrained from saying anything more critical.
.
Key regional US ally Japan, which is also seeking closer relations with India, welcomed the deal and rejected assertions that New Delhi should be held to the same standards as international pariah North Korea.
.
"India is a country that shares the values of freedom, democracy, basic human rights and the rule of law with the United States and Japan," Chief Cabinet Secretary and government spokesman Shinzo Abe told reporters.
.
"It is wrong to discuss the Indian nuclear issue and that of North Korea on the same level."
.
Japan and the United States, along with China, South Korea and Russia, are involved in long-running diplomatic efforts to convince Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons program.
.
Like India and Pakistan, North Korea is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
.
Australia welcomed the US-India deal, saying Washington had at least convinced New Delhi to open up its civilian nuclear reactors to inspections from the UN's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency.
.
"It's a good step forward in what's been a difficult situation," Foreign Minister Alexander Downer told public radio.
.
But Downer ruled out lifting a ban on uranium exports to India while New Delhi continued to refuse to sign the non-proliferation treaty.
.
"It would open up questions of whether we'd export uranium to countries like Israel and Pakistan as well and I think it's probably easier for us to support the current policy," he said.
.
In Pakistan, where Bush was due to travel following his visit to India, officials expressed hope the United States would give Islamabad the same kind of civilian nuclear help as it had just extended to New Delhi.
.
"We hope that we will also get the same kind of cooperation," Pakistani foreign ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam told AFP on Thursday.
.
However Pakistan looked extremely unlikely to receive such an offer with memories still fresh of Pakistani atomic scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan leaking nuclear secrets to Iran, North Korea and Libya.
.
Meanwhile, IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei said the US-India deal would boost non-proliferation efforts.
.
Ralph Cossa, a regional analyst and director of the Pacific Forum in Honolulu, Hawaii, said most Asian nations would view the US-India deal fairly positively.
.
"They would be happy to see the United States and India get along cooperatively in this area," Cossa said.
.
"Also, the non-proliferation regime is not as big an issue in Asia as in Europe and the United States... most Asians think the non-proliferation treaty is a major powers issue. It doesn't affect them as much." — AFP

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