US urges Japan to back n-deal

TOKYO: A senior U.S. official urged Japan on Friday to support an American nuclear accord with India despite Japanese concerns about the deal, arguing it would strengthen nonproliferation efforts. Japan, part of a Nuclear Suppliers' Group whose approval is needed for the accord to go ahead, has expressed worries over the agreement because it does not require India to sign the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.

``We do understand that Japan's going to have questions and issues that they want to raise,'' Richard Boucher, U.S. assistant secretary of state for Central and South Asian affairs, told reporters. But ``the bottom line for us is this is the way to get the cooperation we want, this is the way to get the support for nonproliferation,'' he said, urging the Nuclear Suppliers' Group to move ``expeditiously.''

The deal with Washington would reverse more than three decades of U.S. policy that barred the sale of nuclear fuel and technology to countries that have not signed the nonproliferation treaty. India has tested nuclear weapons but has not signed the nonproliferation treaty or a comprehensive test-ban treaty, under which countries pledge not to test atomic weapons.

Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Koumura said on Tuesday during a visit to India that Tokyo wants to confirm that the pact would not undermine nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation efforts. He also urged New Delhi to sign the two nuclear treaties. Boucher, however, said it was clear that India would not sign the treaties and that it was important to draw it into the nonproliferation system despite that.

``India's made it very clear that it's not in the cards,'' he said, adding that New Delhi has imposed a moratorium on nuclear testing. Boucher said the suppliers' group, which brings together exporters of nuclear materials, would meet later in the month.

Last week the International Atomic Energy Agency cleared a safeguards agreement that would allow U.N. monitors access to a total of 14 Indian civilian nuclear reactors by 2014. To implement the deal, India must strike a separate agreement with the nuclear suppliers' group. It then goes to the U.S. Congress for approval.

The suppliers' group bans exports to nuclear weapons states that have not signed the nonproliferation treaty and do not have full safeguard agreements allowing IAEA inspections. But the group appears willing to consider a waiver for India, which first conducted a nuclear test explosion 34 years ago.