Russian N-chief arrives on April 6

Pact for more power projects likely, Moscow supplies fuel for Tarapur; Indo-US deal hits block

Head of the Russian Federal Atomic Energy Agency, Sergei Kiriyenko, will arrive on a five-day visit to India on April 6.

According to Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) Chairman and Managing Director SK Jain, Kiriyenko will be accompanied by a five-member delegation and a group of Russian journalists.

He will visit Thiruvananthapuram on April 7. On April 8 and 9, he will review progress on the two Russian-supplied 1,000 Mw atomic power stations at Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu and leave for New Delhi on April 9. During his visit, the two countries were likely to negotiate on four more nuclear power plants for the Kudankulam nuclear island, Jain said.

India has received the first consignment of the promised 60 metric tonnes of Russian-enriched uranium for the two units of Tarapur power plants, according to sources at the department of atomic energy (DAE). The first consignment of 20-25 metric tonnes of uranium, which arrived at the DAE's nuclear fuel complex, would be delivered to the NPCIL at an appropriate time, a DAE official said.

Even as Russia committed itself to supplying fuel for Indian reactors, India's efforts to drum up Congressional support for the nuclear deal appeared to have hit a hurdle with some lawmakers belonging to the India caucus joining those opposed to the pact.

Eighteen lawmakers, predominantly Democrat, have tabled a motion against the nuclear deal and to the embarrassment of New Delhi, at least ten of them are members of the Congressional caucus on India and Indian Americans.

Urging lawmakers not to seek changes in the Indo-US nuclear deal, now before the Congress, India has cautioned them that any revision will disturb the "delicate balance" that emerged out of complex negotiations between the two countries. After meeting key US lawmakers to drum up support for the deal in Washington, Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran expressed hope that if the concerns raised by the Congressmen were successfully met and answered, "I think the deal should go ahead as it is."

"What has emerged out of these negotiations (between India and the US) is a very, very delicate balance. We have been through extraordinary complex and difficult negotiations. Therefore, I very strongly hope that the balance is not disturbed," he said at the Indian embassy in Washington wrapping up his three-day visit to the US.

"If you start making revisions and changes, that balance is likely to be upset," Saran said, apparently referring to objections raised by a section of lawmakers.

"The focus of lawmakers on the Capitol Hill was on non-proliferation. There is a global non-proliferation regime. It has been an article of faith for the United States to support that regime all these years. Would this agreement in some way or the other undermine that regime is one of the important concerns," Saran said.

On Russian supplies for the Tarapur units, the NPCIL said it was "being made under the safety exception clause of the guidelines of the NSG, which otherwise bans nuclear supplies to India." The Russian supplies will last for eight months in unit I and 18 months at unit II. "With 60 metric tonnes of uranium the plants will have fuel for the next five years," NPCIL Executive Director (corporate planning) S Thakur said.

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov, during his visit to New Delhi last month, had announced his country's decision to supply fuel to enable the units to function with "safety". Fradkov had said the decision was within the "international framework" and that Russia had informed the Nuclear Suppliers' Group about it.

However, Washington has expressed reservations to the move saying such a step should be taken only after India fulfilled its obligations under the Indo-US civil nuclear deal.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, Anil Kakodkar, will visit Vienna this week for talks with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on a safeguards accord proposed under the Indo-US nuclear deal to pave the way for resumption of nuclear fuel for Indian reactors.

Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, Anil Kakodkar, will discuss with IAEA representatives an additional protocol as agreed in the nuclear deal.

The plan to separate civilian and military nuclear facilities provides for an India-specific safeguards agreement to be negotiated with the IAEA.

New Delhi has sought such an agreement since India is neither a member of the NPT nuclear powers group comprising the P-5 countries nor does it comes under the category of non-nuclear weapon states.

The process would involve understanding and putting forth India's stance on the nuances of the "India-specific" safeguards.