India, US conclude negotiations on reprocessing

New Delhi, Mar 29 (PTI) India and the US have finalised
negotiations on arrangements and procedures for reprocessing
of American-origin spent fuel, a key step for implementation
of the historic civil nuclear deal signed in September 2008.
The negotiations were held as per a clause in the 123
Agreement that mandated India to set up a dedicated
reprocessing facility under IAEA safeguards where the spent
nuclear fuel from the US could be reprocessed.
"The United States and India have taken an important
step toward implementing civil nuclear cooperation by
completing negotiations on 'arrangements and procedures' for
reprocessing US-origin spent nuclear fuel," the State
Department said in a statement.
Under the 123 Agreement, negotiations on reprocessing
were to be started six months after the signing of 123
Agreement and concluded within a year thereafter.
Accordingly, the negotiations were started in August
last year and completed well in advance.
"The United States of America and the Republic of India
are close to completing an historic partnership on civil
nuclear cooperation, an issue of global significance. The two
countries have finalized negotiations on arrangements and
procedures for reprocessing U.S.-origin spent nuclear fuel,"
US Ambassador to India Timothy J Roemer said while making the
announcement in a statement.
The completion of these arrangements would facilitate
participation of US firms in India's rapidly-expanding civil
nuclear sector, the State Department said. (MORE) PTI