The U.S. will today announce a civilian nuclear accord with India, an agreement allowing power plants in the energy-starved nation access to fissile material and technology.
Nicholas Burns, the U.S. under secretary for political affairs, will brief reporters from Washington on the just- concluded, so-called “1-2-3 agreement'' at 8 p.m. local time, the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi said in an e-mailed media advisory.
The 1-2-3 agreement gives effect to bilateral cooperation between the U.S. and India on nuclear energy and needs to be approved by both governments. The accord, outlined by U.S. President George W. Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in July 2005, would allow the U.S. to sell nuclear technology and help end India's nuclear isolation.
Indian utilities, which are straining to supply power to industry, homes and farms, would be allowed to buy equipment, fuel and reactors from Fairfield, Connecticut-based General Electric Co. and Monroeville, Pennsylvania-based Westinghouse Electric Co. In exchange, the South Asian nation would open some of its plants to international inspections to ensure that the fuel isn't being diverted for weapons.
