India's non-proliferation track record better than others: Sen

Admitting that there was opposition to the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal in both the countries, India has said New Delhi's track record in non-proliferation was 'much better' than any other nation.

In his address at the Potomac institute of policy studies on Friday, Indian Ambassador to the US Ronen Sen acknowledged that the nuclear agreement between the United States and India had some opposition but asserted that the debate is dissimilar in the two countries.

"There is a little bit of history," Sen said when asked about the opposition in India where some had raised the question of whether Washington will stay the course or pull the rug from under the feet down the line.

"We are unique in many ways. Our track record is much better than many of the countries represented in the Nuclear Supplier's Group," he quipped, referring to the apprehensions about India on the non-proliferation front.

Sen pointed out that it was not for India to set the timetable on when the agreement is going to get through Congress. "We recognise the separation of powers."

The Indian Ambassador said he was aware of the fact that there was a 'lot of speculation' on the legislation currently pending in the Senate, but it is basically left to the legislative chamber and to the Bush administration as to how it is going to deal with the issue. 

Sen asserted that India had never reneged on an international commitment. "Once we negotiate an agreement, we honour it. We do have difficulties and it gets heated at times but we will honour our part of the agreement," he said.

In his formal presentation, Sen took on a popular misconception that somehow relations between the United States and India were 'bad' maintaining that this was not a correct assessment. The relations were episodic 'between good, warm and cold.' In the last 18 months, there has been a 'new direction, content and momentum' in the bilateral relationship and this is sustainable because it is based on mutual trust.

Evading a direct comment on the peace deal struck by Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf with the tribal leaders of Northern Waziristan, he said: "We would welcome any step if it contributed to the dismantling of the infrastructure of terrorism in Pakistan."

On Indo-Pak relations, Sen stressed that it was difficult to conduct negotiations in a framework of terrorism.

Asked about the situation in neighbouring Nepal and Bangladesh, Sen said: "Yes, we are concerned." Noting that the situation in both the countries was indeed worrying, he said: "Whatever happened in our neighborhood, there has been a spillover into India. We have paid a very heavy price. We have a vital national security interest in the stability of our neighborhood."