Policy Research Group   - Strategic Insight: Obama certifies India-IAEA accord on safeguards

Obama certifies India-IAEA accord on safeguards
================================================================================
. on 08 February, 2010 06:17:00
 
US President Barack Obama has certified that the Safeguards Agreement between
India and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on its civilian nuclear
facilities has come into force, said a memorandum issued on Wednesday Feb 3,
2010 to the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, as mandated by the US law.
Obama also certified that India has filed a declaration of facilities  - as
mandated by the agreement -- that is "not materially inconsistent" with the
facilities and schedule described in the Separation Plan presented in the
Parliament on 11th May 2006, taking into account the later initiation of
safeguards that was anticipated in the Separation Plan.
The Presidential action came amid questions being raised in some quarters about
the Obama Administration's commitment to implement the landmark bilateral nuke
deal.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at a joint news conference with Obama at the White
House on 24th November last year said the President had assured him of his 'full
and complete' commitment to implementation of the Indo-US nuclear deal.
Dr Singh had also said, "I am confident and I have the assurance of the US
President that this process will be over without much further loss of time."