The Bush administration has made it clear that it will not support India joining the Non-Proliferation Treaty as a nuclear weapon state, even as it 'worked hard' for the passage of a legislation in Congress to implement the landmark civilian nuclear deal this month.
In a veiled reference to opposition by the Left and some other parties to the deal, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice also praised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his 'domestic fights against protectionism' to win support for the pact.
"Let me be clear: we do not support India joining the Non Proliferation Treaty as a nuclear weapon state. Rather, the goal of our initiative is to include India, for the first time ever, in the global nonproliferation regime," she told a meeting of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin and Asian American Hotel Owners Association on Monday.
While the Bush administration was working hard to have the deal approved by the Congress this month itself, it wanted India to fulfill its remaining commitments under the agreement reached on July 18 last year, she said.
"Our work is not yet done. The enabling legislation must now be voted on by the full bodies of both Houses. So we are hard at work with both Houses of Congress, especially with the India caucuses. And we are encouraging both the Senate and House to vote on the civil nuclear initiative this month, before the summer recess," Rice said.
Two crucial Congressional panels recently endorsed the deal reached between US President George W Bush and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in July 18 last year.
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