Replies to post #419 on Lightbridge Corporation (LTBR)

[JETMAN]

Might have something to do with this:

India Approves Nuclear Deal With U.S.
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: July 25, 2007
Filed at 5:05 a.m. ET

NEW DELHI (AP) -- India's Cabinet has signed off on the technical details of a civilian nuclear cooperation deal with the United States, moving a step closer to finalizing a pact touted as the cornerstone of an emerging partnership, officials said Wednesday.

The broad deal was approved two years ago, but talks on its technical aspects had dragged on, held up by American reluctance to allow India to reprocess spent atomic fuel -- a key step in making atomic weapons -- and Indian demands for a guaranteed fuel supply for reactors. New Delhi also wanted the right to test nuclear weapons.

How those issues were resolved remains an open question. Neither side has released details of the deal since Friday, when they said it was nearly complete and awaiting final approval.

But after the Indian Cabinet's committees on security and political affairs jointly met and approved the deal Wednesday, Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters that 'all concerns of India have been reflected and have been adequately addressed.'

Officials in the United States still have to approve the technical agreement.

The nuclear pact is seen as the foundation of closer India-U.S. relations. The deal allows the United States to ship nuclear fuel and technology to India, which in exchange would open its civilian nuclear reactors to international inspectors. India's military reactors would remain off-limits.

The two sides first struck the deal in July 2005, and the U.S. Congress last year approved the overall pact, leaving New Delhi and Washington to hammer out an agreement detailing how the nuclear cooperation would actually work.

With that agreement sewn up, India's government now plans to brief its left-wing political allies and the Hindu nationalist opposition -- both of which have expressed fears the pact could undermine India's nuclear weapons program and the country's sovereignty.

Once President Bush's administration approves the deal, as it is expected to do, it must once again get Congressional approval.

India also needs to make a separate agreement with the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, and the Nuclear Suppliers Group, an assembly of nations that export nuclear material.

Cheers, JETMAN