Fw: Fix the U.S.- India Nuclear Deal - FCNL

----- Original Message -----
From: "Kathy Guthrie" <kathyguthrie@fcnl.org>
To: "Miriam Vieni" <miriamvieni@optonline.net>
Sent: Thursday, July 13, 2006 3:17 PM
Subject: Fix the U.S.- India Nuclear Deal - FCNL

The House is about to approve a nuclear cooperation agreement with
India that would enable that South Asian nation to increase production
of nuclear weapons and dangerously undermine the nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). We expect this legislation, H.R. 5682,
to pass with a strong majority. Read more about this legislation at
http://capwiz.com/fconl/issues/bills/?bill=8879976.

But Congress can still amend the agreement to ensure that it doesn't
destroy the core elements of the NPT. Rep. Howard Berman (CA) and other
legislators have proposed amendments that would enable the U.S. to
expand cooperation with India without eroding years of work in which
the U.S. and other countries strengthened the NPT. One amendment would
require India to halt production of fissile material, the main
component needed to make nuclear weapons, in exchange for greater
nuclear cooperation with the United States. A second important
amendment would prevent India from transferring nuclear enrichment
technology to other countries.

Two key congressional committees approved H.R. 5682 the week of June
26. This legislation will likely come to the floor of the House for a
vote the week of July 24. Several nonproliferation amendments have good
chances of winning, especially if representatives hear from their
constituents that this issue concerns them.

*Take Action*

Please contact your representative today. Urge her or him to support
nonproliferation amendments offered by Rep. Howard Berman (CA) and
others when the House considers the U.S. - India nuclear deal. These
amendments would require India to agree to stop producing nuclear
weapons materials and sign the NPT before the U.S. would agree to
cooperate with that country.

You can find a sample message and contact your representative directly
through FCNL's website at
http://capwiz.com/fconl/issues/alert/?alertid=8906881&type=CO.

*Background*

Congress is considering dangerous legislation that would undermine the
nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), an international agreement that
prohibits the transfer of nuclear technology to countries that don't
agree to international inspections of their nuclear programs. The NPT
has been signed by 188 countries (including the U.S.), but India has
not signed.

The Indian government asserts that it needs this expanded cooperation
to address the country's growing energy needs and to improve the
quality of life for its population. Improving relations with India and
helping that country to address its energy needs are important.
However, Congress could work to improve relations with India without
providing the Indian government with the capacity to increase
production of nuclear weapons by up to 500 percent. Congress should
insist that before the U.S. signs any nuclear cooperation agreement,
India should agree to:

-stop production of highly enriched uranium and plutonium -
fissile materials used in the production of nuclear weapons. All five
acknowledged nuclear weapons states have halted production of fissile
materials;

-sign the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty; and

-sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.

Supporters of the deal argue that roughly 65 percent (14 out of 22) of
India's nuclear reactors will face international inspections for the
first time under this new agreement. That number is accurate but
misleading. Under the proposal, India could build as many military
nuclear reactors as it wanted, and those reactions would not face
international inspections. This deal would also, indirectly at the
least, allow India to build more nuclear weapons. By providing India
with nuclear fuel and technology under the new agreement, the U.S.
would free India's domestic uranium for use to produce more nuclear
weapons. Under this deal, India would be able to produce up to 50
nuclear weapons per year. (Currently, it can produce six to 10 per
year.)

Brent Scowcroft, National Security Advisor to Presidents Gerald Ford
and George H.W. Bush; former Sen. Sam Nunn; and dozens of other
prominent officials have spoken out against this deal. The New York
Times and other newspapers have also editorialized against the
agreement. Read some of the comments at
http://www.fcnl.org/issues/item.php?item_id=1848&issue_id=54.

See a timeline of congressional action on this deal:
http://www.fcnl.org/issues/item.php?item_id=1946&issue_id=2

Find out more about the U.S. - India nuclear deal:
http://www.fcnl.org/nuclear/index.htm

Read FCNL's letter of condolence to the people of India following the
Mumbai bombings:
http://www.fcnl.org/issues/item.php?item_id=1960&issue_id=40

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