Dick Lugar: “I wish to make an important note regarding a provision in the conference agreement on H.R. 5682, the Henry J. Hyde…”

“I wish to make an important note regarding a provision in the conference agreement on H.R. 5682, the Henry J. Hyde United States-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act of 2006. The conferees on this legislation believe that one of the most important aspects of renewed nuclear cooperation with India will be the new safeguards agreement it enters into with the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, that would apply to its expanded list of declared civilian nuclear sites, facilities, and locations. The administration's original legislation concerning India, which I introduced as S. 2429 on March 16, 2006, stated with regard to this matter that the President had to determine that "an agreement has entered into force between India and the IAEA requiring the application of safeguards in accordance with IAEA practices to India's civil nuclear facilities." As a part of the committee's consideration of the administration's proposal, I asked a number of questions for the record regarding this new safeguards agreement. Secretary Rice stated in response to a question asked in April of this year regarding India's new safeguards agreement that: This Initiative will only allow for nuclear cooperation to proceed with civil facilities and programs that are safeguarded by the IAEA. The Government of India has agreed that these safeguards will be in place in perpetuity.”