Saturday, April 1 2006 14:30 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Washington: Urging lawmakers not to seek changes in the historic Indo-US nuclear deal, now before Congress for approval, India has cautioned them that any revision would disturb the 'very, very delicate balance' that emerged out of complex negotiations between the two countries.

After meeting key US lawmakers to drum up support for the deal, Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran expressed the hope that if the concerns raised by the Congressmen were successfully met and answered "I think the deal should go ahead as it is."

"What has emerged out of these negotiations (between India and the US) is a very, very delicate balance. We have been through extraordinary complex and difficult negotiations. Therefore, I would very strongly hope that that balance is not disturbed," he told reporters here yesterday at the Indian embassy wrapping up his three-day visit to the US.

"If you start making revisions and changes, that balance is likely to be upset," Saran said, apparently referring toobjections raised by a section of lawmakers.

He said during his meetings with them, the lawmakers did raise concerns about non-proliferation and whether the agreement would bolster India's strategic programme.

"The focus of lawmakers on Capitol Hill was on non-proliferation. There is a global non-proliferation regime; it has been an article of faith for the United States to support that regime all these years; and would this agreement in some way or the other undermine that regime? That is one of the important concerns," Saran said.

Saran said the lawmakers were also concerned "Whether or not this agreement in some way would lead to an expansion of India's nuclear weapons programme in a manner that might have other implications."

"Concerns which have been expressed in the Congress, if those concerns are successfully met and answered, I think the deal should go ahead as it is," the Foreign Secretary remarked, adding India would like to see the pact approved by Congress as quickly as possible.

During his visit, Saran, besides holding talks with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns, met a number of lawmakers including, Senators Joseph Biden, the ranking member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Barack Obama, who sits on the Senate Foreign Relations panel.

He also interacted with the Chair of the House International Relations Committee Henry Hyde, the ranking member Tom Lantos and the Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, Gary Ackerman.

Pointing out that the agreement should be seen in the context of a 'much larger relationship', Saran cautioned lawmakers that there will be 'a price to pay' if the deal is not pushed through Congress.

"We feel that this bi-partisan consensus which is behind the India-US partnership will also apply to the civilian nuclear energy agreement. It should be seen as a part and parcel of a much larger relationship which has developed between the two countries and should not be taken out in isolation," he said.

Saran put forward the Indian perspective that it did not believe that the pact 'undermined' in any way the shared goal of promoting non-proliferation given India's global standing record of restraint and responsibility.

"There was a point made that while everyone recognizes the importance of the civil nuclear energy deal there should be a debate about the various aspects. I pointed out that it was quite normal to have a debate on such an important issue," Saran said.

He said he felt quite encouraged that once the deal went through the "crucible of the debate and discussion", it would get stronger support.

"There is across the political spectrum very strong support for the India-US partnership and even with regard to the civil nuclear energy cooperation agreement I also pointed out to some of my interlocuters that this was not something that was pulled out as a rabbit out of a hat," Saran said, adding there is ownership of this process by both Democrats and Republicans.

He said that there was no doubt that the agreement had come to symbolise the 'new partnership' between the two countries and if it did not go through, there would "Be a loss in terms of expectations which have been built up, the kind of enthusiasm which has been built up".

"We should be cognizant of that," he remarked.