On the eve of the crucial meeting of the NSG, Executive Director of the ACA Daryl Kimball argued that “the revised proposal does not incorporate any meaningful adjustments or concessions and is essentially the same as the earlier draft proposal.”

Kimball pointed to a paragraph in the revised draft that says that all governments participating in the NSG shall inform each other on what bilateral cooperation they are pursuing with India, after the exemption is approved.
“This would be mildly useful ahead of an NSG decision but does not hold India accountable to any non-proliferation or disarmament commitments,” Kimball said. He further specified another paragraph which says participating governments can call an extraordinary consultation within the NSG on India “should circumstances require it.”

“This is being characterised as a response to several proposals from the NSG states for a regular review mechanism for nuclear trade with India.

But, in reality, this does not do anything more than what is already in the NSG guidelines under (paragraph 16) that allows for a special meeting of NSG states in the event of extraordinary events, including nuclear test(s),” Kimball maintained.

He asked the NSG members to “flatly reject the proposal” and said, “NSG states should insist on the conditions and restrictions outlined in the August 15 experts and NGOs letter.”

One obstacle down?: China may not oppose waiver

Beijing, PTI: Signalling that it may not create an obstacle for an NSG waiver to India, China on Tuesday said it had always played a “positive” role at the meetings of the 45-nation grouping.

“China believes all countries have the right to develop nuclear energy while observing the obligations of the non-proliferation regime,” Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Jiang Yu said.

He expressed hope that the NSG would be able to “strike a balance between nuclear non-proliferation and peaceful use” of atomic energy. “