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N-Liability Bill: US To Look To India For Changes

(RTTNews) - In its first reaction to some controversial provisions in the Nuclear Liability Bill recently passed by the Indian parliament, the Obama administration said Tuesday that it was looking to New Delhi to consider what changes could be made in certain provisions of the Bill.

"We continue our discussions with the Indian Government on this issue and we note that Indian business leaders are concerned about some specific aspects of the law that was just passed by Parliament," State Department spokesman P J Crowley said at his daily news conference, adding: "We will look to the Indian Government to see what changes can be made."

He was responding to a query on the U.S. business being reportedly unhappy on some aspects of the liability law.

India's Parliament adopted August 30 the "Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill," paving the way for implementation of the landmark U.S.-Indian civilian atomic trade agreement clinched in 2008 by the then U.S. President George Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The Bill received the support of the principal opposition party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, after the ruling combination acceded to stronger terms against possible errant nuclear suppliers and power-plant operators.

The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) coalition ministry insists that the compensation package for victims matches that of the U.S., and is open to accommodate some suggestions.

However, some feel the stringent measures could become a stumbling block to the implementation of the deal that permits U.S. companies to export nuclear technologies and materials to India in return for the latter agreeing to throw open its civilian nuclear facilities to international inspection.

Meanwhile, the U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC), representing 300 top American companies doing business with India, wants New Delhi to adopt a nuclear liability regime "channeling absolute and exclusive liability to nuclear power plant operators and establishing a sole remedy for compensation of claims".

"These principles are basic to international best practices as reflected in the International Atomic Energy Agency's Convention on Supplementary Compensation (CSC)," it said in a guarded reaction to the legislation's passage.