US Congressman terms nuke deal as 'capitulation' to India

WASHINGTON: Demanding India to "disclose and detail" its relationship with Iran, a US Congressman on Tuesday said the Indo-US nuclear deal is inconsistent with American law and a "capitulation" to New Delhi.

"The Bush administration claims it is seeking nuclear cooperation, but in reality, the agreement it negotiated is nuclear capitulation to India's every wish," Massachusetts Congressman and a fierce opponent of the deal Edward Markey said in a statement here.

He said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's comments in Parliament were the indication that the agreement did not comply with the law Congress wrote and passed last year, the Hyde Act, to condition and restrict any agreement.

"As currently drafted, this is a bad deal for our country and a damaging blow to non-proliferation efforts worldwide," Markey said.

"Conceding to India reprocessing rights for US-origin material, agreeing to the creation of a strategic fuel reserve which would render toothless any termination of trade if India breaks the agreement, and refusing to explicitly bar Indian nuclear explosive testing are all inconsistent with the law and the intent of Congress," he said.