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Moratorium On Visits By Scientists From Sensitive Countries to US Nuke Labs Defeated

A P Kamath in Washington DC

On a day when India came up several times in the Senate and the House of Representatives, the House defeated a provision that would have imposed a two-year moratorium by foreign visitors from "sensitive" countries including India to nuclear laboratories run by the United States Energy Department.

The Senate also approved a provision to lift economic sanctions on India and Pakistan for five years.

While the defeat of the amendment to the Defense Authorization Act to bar the scientists by a solid 266 to 159 votes was cheered by India backers on the Hill, friends of India noted that the Senate bill seeks to repeal the Pressler Amendment that bans American military assistance to Pakistan.

The amendment to bar the scientists was introduced by Representative Jim Ryun (Republican-Texas). "The amendment attempts to respond to the compromises to our national security with regard to the People's Republic of China - obviously a worthy goal," said Frank Pallone, Jr (Democrat - New Jersey).

"But it goes too far," he said echoing the thoughts of other opponents of the amendment.

He pointed out that an amendment proposed by Representatives Christopher Cox (R-California) and Norm Dicks (D-Washington) would impose a 90-day moratorium which would give time for American laboratories to beef up their security.

Friends of India have argued it is not fair to use the current concerns over China as a pretext for disrupting scientific co-operation with India and other friendly nations. Pallone and others opposed to Ryun's amendment also said that countries such as Israel were also on the "sensitive" list.

"Let us not cut off co-operation and scientific exchanges with countries like India that have not been stealing our secrets and which could be partners for a more stable and secure world," Pallone said.

He has introduced legislation in the House to permanently repeal the sanctions against India and Pakistan. He noted that the Senate amendment proposed by Sam Brownback (R-Kansas) suspends for five years the sanctions imposed in response to the Glenn Amendment that followed nuclear tests in the subcontinent.

The New Jersey congressman said there was no justification to repeal the Pressler amendment.

"In the past few weeks, we were again reminded why the Pressler Amendment should remain in effect," he continued, "as we have seen Pakistani support for the militants who have infiltrated territory on India's side of the Line of Control in Kashmir."

The economic sanctions should be voted down in the House, he said.

"One of the major casualties of this past year of difficult diplomatic relations have been the growing economic relationship between the United States and India," Pallone continued. "India's infrastructure development needs offer opportunities for cooperation that will benefit both countries."
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