Stunned by letter bomb, Govt runs for cover

New Delhi: India on Wednesday refused to comment over a letter from the US State Department that is embarrassing both Washington and New Delhi.

Just a few hours to go before the Nuclear Suppliers Group meets in Vienna to discuss waivers for India, a letter written by the Bush administration to its Congress has spelt it out clearly the US will terminate nuclear trade if New Delhi conducts a nuclear test.

The letter written nine months ago was kept under wraps all these months.

"I have read the statement. But I will not comment," External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee was quoted as saying by agencies.

However, Government sources said the letter was an internal document of the US State Department and was not binding on India. India is bound only by the 123 Agreement, the sources said

Asked to comment on the outcome of the Nuclear Suppliers'Group (NSG) meeting beginning in Vienna tomorrow, Mukherjee said he would keep his fingers crossed.

"I will not comment tomorrow, day after tomorrow. After that you ask me," Mukherjee said.

The Congress party too chose to play down the "disclosures" on the Indo-US nuclear deal as "internal communication" between the American administration and the legislature.

"What the US administration and or the US President communicates with the US Congress or a member of the US Congress is entirely their problem," Congress spokesperson

Manish Tiwari said.

He said India is bound only by the terms of the 123 Agreement which does not prohibit the transfer of enrichment and reprocessing technology which is integral to the civil nuclear cooperation.

In curiously-timed disclosures, the US has made it clear that its assurances of nuclear fuel supplies to India are not meant to "insulate" it against the consequences of a nuclear test.

Tiwari said there was no need to relook or re-examine the nuclear cooperation agreement with the US as both the countries have gone through various steps before concluding the document.

The Congress leader pointed out that in case India conducts a nuclear test, the 123 Agreement has provision for launching consultations before taking any action.

"No precipitate action will be taken till the completion of the consultation process," Tiwari noted.