Nuke deal good for US biz: Rice

Pitching vigorously for the US Congress support for the nuclear deal with India, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice today said it would strengthen international security and non-proliferation regimes and advance America's business opportunities.

Appearing before the Senate foreign relations committee, she said the past non-proliferation policies of the US did not achieve the goals as they resulted in a more isolated India.

"This civilian energy initiative will not only advance international security but also increased energy security and increased business opportunities for America, leading to more direct and indirect jobs in this country.

"But all these advantages will have to be seen in the larger context of the elevation of the Indo-US relationship, which is now a strategic partnership," Rice maintained appearing before the panel chaired by Republican Senator Richard Lugar.

She stressed that the civilian nuclear energy agreement with India was a strategic achievement that was "good for America, good for India and good for the international community. Continued isolation of our strategic partner is the wrong policy choice," she said in her presentation on the deal reached between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President George W Bush last July in Washington and further fine-tuned last month in New Delhi.

The top administration official came before the Senate panel to strongly endorse the legislation currently in Congress seeking changes to the 1954 Atomic Energy Act that will formalise the bilateral accord.

Rejecting criticisms against the deal, Rice told lawmakers that this civilian energy initiative did not re-negotiate or amend the non proliferation treaty. "It is simply seeking to address an untenable situation," she said.

The senior official also maintained that the civilian nuclear deal would not lead to an arms race in the region of South Asia and did not complicate American policy with respect to North Korea or Iran.