The United States has rejected the charge that it had covered up documents relating to the Indo-US nuclear deal that set off a storm in India saying it had never attempted to keep anything under wraps.
State Department spokesman Robert Wood also said New Delhi's obligations are very clear as it has agreed to a moratorium on nuclear testing.
"The Indians understand what our views are with regard to nuclear testing. We've made them clear. And they understand those. There was no attempt to cover up anything," Wood said brushing off suggestion that Washington kept the document under wraps to protect the government in India.
"... People have that interpretation, but that certainly was not the position of the US government. We weren't trying to keep anything under wraps. We've had discussions with various members of Congress about this agreement. We'll continue to do so.
A 26-page document released by Howard Berman, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, contains an assertion by the Bush Administration that its assurances of nuclear supplies to India are not meant to "insulate" it against the consequences of a nuclear test.
Opposition parties in India have hauled the government over the coals saying it has been kept in the dark by the Administration and that the government had lied to Parliament about fuel supplies in the event of India testing a weapon.
When asked if Washington would cut off supplies if India conducts a nuclear test, the senior State Department official replied, "You're asking me to speculate on something, and I'm not going to do that. I'm just going to tell you exactly what our policy is."
