New Delhi: More uncertainty over the Indo-US nuclear deal. US Ambassador David Mulford warned that the deal could die unless India voted against Iran at the IAEA next week.
Doubts over the Indo-US nuclear deal are growing. India's concern is not just the domestic priorities of the US Congress, Iran is another factor as David Mulford, US Ambassador reminded South Block on Wednesday.
Mulford said that a prospective deal for the US to transfer civilian nuclear technology to India would die in the US Congress if India voted against a resolution on Iran.
"If India decides not to back the resolution the effect on members of the US Congress with regard to India-US civil nuclear initiative will be devastating," Mulford added.
The foreign office reacted rejecting any linkage between the two.
The MEA spokesman Navtej Sarna said: "The nuclear deal stood on its own merits. Negotiations would be based on Indian national interests while India's decision on Iran would rest on its independent judgment."
However, Mulford, in a late night clarification, said that his remarks on the effect of the possibility of India not voting against Iran nuclear programme at next month's IAEA meeting 'have been taken out of context'.
The spat comes at a time when Iran has welcomed the Russian offer of a joint venture on Russian soil to enrich uranium. If that compromise does take place, next week's vote at the IAEA may never happen in which case it would be one less dilemma for India to contend with as it pursues the nuclear deal.
Under the Indo-US nuclear deal, signed by US President George W Bush and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh July, 2005, India would get advanced nuclear technology which it has been denied for 30 years for conducting nuclear tests and refusing to sign on to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
(With Agency inputs)
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