Convince Congress on need to quicken deal clearance: Berman

Washington, September 8: As the US looks at a quick ratification of the 123 agreement with India in the Congress, a vocal critic of the nuclear deal, Senator Howard Berman, has said the administration should first convince the lawmakers on the need for special procedures to speed up the process.

If the US administration wants to seek special procedure to quicken Congressional consideration of the accord, it should show how the NSG decision is consistent with the Hyde Act, including which technology can be sent to India and what impact a nuclear test by New Delhi would have, he said.

"Before we vote, Congress needs to study the NSG decision, along with any agreements that were made behind the scenes to bring it about," he said echoing his earlier comments that Congress should not rush through the deal until the Administration proved that it did not cut any ‘side deals’ at the NSG to get the waiver for India.

"The burden of proof is on the Bush Administration so that Congress can be assured that what we're being asked to approve conforms with US law," he added.

The Californian Democrat who raised a political storm in India by releasing on the eve of NSG meeting responses by the State Department to questions posed by his predecessor Tom Lantos, said he supports civil nuclear cooperation with India.

"I support cooperation on civilian nuclear energy with India. I oppose policies that would lead to a nuclear arms race or undermine proliferation standards," Berman, Chairman of the powerful House Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a statement issued from Van Nuys, California.

Berman also pointed out that in an appearance before the Foreign Affairs Committee on February 13, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had assured him that any NSG decision "will have to be completely consistent with the obligations of the Hyde Act".