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News of Jan
4, 2007
Indian Diaspora's Help Sought
to Push N-deal Through NSG
New Delhi, Jan 4
An Indian American group has asked Indians living in countries that
are members of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) to lobby with their
respective governments to endorse the US-India civilian nuclear
deal.
"We offer all our lobbying experience to NRIs living in the 45 NSG
countries to get their respective governments' support for the
landmark US-India nuke deal," said Sanjay Puri, chairman of the US
India Political Action Committee (USINPAC).
Puri, who is leading a 20-member delegation to India for
strengthening bilateral ties, said that last year saw unprecedented
political activism by the Indian American community and raised its
engagement with mainstream American society to a new high.
"The nuclear deal was not really at the top of the US
administration's agenda. They had several other issues like the Iraq
war, illegal immigration and oil prices."
But now, he added, the passage of the nuclear deal by the US
Congress has showed that representation by the Indian American
community can make a big
difference.
NSG is a multinational body concerned with reducing nuclear
proliferation by controlling the export and re-transfer of materials
that may be applicable to weapons development and by improving
safeguards on existing supplies.
"The momentum of the nuclear deal owes much to the relentless
efforts of the community," Puri said, referring to his
organization's lobbying efforts in Washington.
Asked what USINPAC's views were to the opposition to the nuclear
deal from some political quarters in India, Robindra Sachdev,
director of the organization, said the visiting delegation would
meet top leaders of the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
in this regard.
"We want to know their perspective on this," he said.
Added Puri, "We are going to meet the Communist parties in India
too. After all, people in the US also want to know why there is
opposition to the deal from several quarters within India."
The USINPAC members plan to interact with other overseas Indian
communities, especially those from the NSG countries, who are
gathering here for the Fifth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas - the three-day
annual conclave of the Indian diaspora that begins Jan 7.
IANS
News of Jan
4, 2007
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