Nuclear Suppliers Group Approved the U.S.-India Nuclear Deal

Dan Yurman has the story:

It took the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) nearly three days of protracted negotiations in Vienna to reach agreement. Austria, New Zealand, and Ireland, were the last three countries holding out on approval due to reservations about granting a waiver to India since it has not signed the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty.

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Austria, New Zealand and Ireland lifted their objection to the US proposal after India made a formal pledge to not share sensitive nuclear technology or material and to uphold its moratorium on testing nuclear weapons. The breakthrough reportedly came after US President George W Bush lobbied members of the NSG.

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Bush administration must now push it through Congress before legislators break for the November elections.

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Congress, starts its next session on Sept. 8, but it may not be able to approve the U.S.-India nuclear cooperation agreement. House Foreign Affiars Committee Chairman Howard Berman, (D-Calif), who opposes the deal, reportedly told Rice he will work to block it. Approval may have to wait until a new Congress, shaped by the November election, meets in 2009.

Excellent coverage Dan!