Continuing his opposition to the Indo-US nuclear deal, Congressman Edward Markey has said granting exemption to India as a special case will set the table for a "nuclear weapons banquet" that could feature unwanted guests like Russia [Images] and China seeking special exemptions for their clients like Iran and Pakistan.

'President (George) Bush's zeal for promoting global commercial deals at the expense of national security -- apparent in the Dubai ports fiasco -- has now led him to propose a huge loophole in international law for India that threatens the world,' the Democratic Congressman was quoted as saying in The Boston Globe.

'In the deal, the US would join India to blow a hole in the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, shaking the foundation of international cooperation to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons,' Markey was quoted.

• Markey vows to scuttle N-deal

The fierce critic of the deal has warned that the President's decision to accommodate India is unleashing a dangerous new dynamic in an unstable world.

"Granting India a special exemption from the nonproliferation rules sets the table for a nuclear weapons banquet that could include a large group of unwanted guests. Russia may seek special exemptions from the nuclear rules to share nuclear materials with Iran. China will have a free pass to grant special exemptions for Pakistan or North Korea", the lawmaker said.

• US coalition to fight N-deal

Earlier this month, Markey had called the deal a "historic nuclear failure". Acknowledging that India does need energy to fuel its growing economy, Markey argued that there are other ways that the United States can go about helping India especially in the realm of pursuing aggressive renewable energy resources and supporting cleaner coal plants.

Also See:
The Bush Visit
The Indo-US nuclear tango
The Iran vote and after