US Not to Lift Ban on Indian Nuclear scientists
Pakistan Times Foreign Desk Report

LONDON (UK): United States will not lift ban on Indian nuclear scientists who were allegedly involved in supplying nuclear technology and equipment to Iran.

At the moment, the US is not willing to give assurance of lifting ban from two Indian scientists, BBC reported while quoting Indian Daily 'Jan Satta'.

The Indian scientists in the eye of the controversy viz C.Surender and Y.S.R. Prasad, served successive terms as Chairman-cum-Managing Director of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd and were reportedly leading a retired life in Mumbai for the last few years.

Recap

As reported by 'Pakistan Times', in its Issue od October-12 the US State Department has imposed the Iran-related penalty on two Indian scientists for "transfer of equipment and technology controlled under multilateral export control lists or otherwise having the potential to make a material contribution to the development of weapons of mass destruction or cruise or ballistic missile systems" to Iran since January-1999.

The State Department spokesman Richard Boucher says, the sanctions were based on "credible information".

The Indian scientists in the eye of the controversy viz C. Surender and Y.S.R. Prasad, served successive terms as Chairman-cum-Managing Director of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd and were reportedly leading a retired life in Mumbai for the last few years.

They are part of 14 entities against whom sanctions have been imposed under the Iran Non-Proliferation Act 2000.

C. Surender Reax

When contacted, C. Surender denied having visited Iran although he admitted to have at least once approached by the Iranian Atomic Energy Commission to help them in development of their Nuclear Programme.

However, Prasad admitted that he visited Iran but only to "observe" the installation of WR-type Russian nuclear power reactor as India was also expecting a similar reactor for installation at Koodamkulam.

He also visited Iran on a number of occasions on IAEA sponsored assignments. He provided consultancy on safety-related aspects concerned with the Bushehr nuclear power plant. His last visit was in mid-2003.

India's Plea

Meanwhile, the Indian foreign office has asked the US authorities to review and withdraw the sanctions imposed on the Indian scientists stating that India did not share the US assessment.

The Indian authorities, while discounting the involvement of these high profile scientists and highlighting India's own record and commitment to non-proliferation are also quite apprehensive that the incident might cause an adverse fall out on the on-going Next Steps in Strategic Partnership between the two countries.

'Poor Indian Commitment'

According to the US State Department "The cases is an example of poor Indian commitment to non-proliferation".

Earlier several other Indian scientists were reported for helping Libya in the development of its nuclear facilities, which was later abandoned by Libyan authorities under international pressure.●