Rethinking the India Nuclear Technology Transfer Deal June 13, 2006

--Free, Public Conference Planned for Wednesday, 14 June --
WASHINGTON DC – In March 2006, President Bush and Indian Prime Minister Singh agreed to a nuclear deal that would allow the import of nuclear technology into India in exchange for bringing some part of India’s nuclear industry under international inspection. President Bush claims that the agreement brings India at least part way into the fold of the Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

While the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) believes there are a hundred different areas in which the United States and India could, and should, establish closer ties, this nuclear agreement isn’t it. FAS will release a letter supported by a community of Nobel Laureates at an event at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, 14 June 2006 to announce its opposition to the current Indian nuclear cooperation deal.

The event will include a panel of experts that will discuss the administration’s lack of an overall plan for dealing with nuclear weapons proliferation in a world with ever increasing civilian nuclear power. Comments by panelists will be followed by a 20-minute period of questions from the audience.

FAS was founded 60 years ago to encourage international openness and control of nuclear industry and to fight for nuclear disarmament. The Federation recognizes that the Indian nuclear deal is not simply a problem of one agreement with one country, rather the United States has a critical role in setting the direction for the future of nuclear power and nuclear proliferation across the world. Most of the world’s nuclear weapons are a legacy of the Cold War and held by the United States and Russian. The United States cannot continue to treat nuclear weapons as militarily useful and politically salient while expecting to stop global nuclear proliferation. The Indian nuclear deal is just one symptom of a bigger problem.

To RSVP for this event, please contact Monica Amarelo at email [email protected] or call 202-454-4680. Interviews are available upon request. Space is limited.

SPEAKERS:

Henry Kelly, President, Federation of American Scientists


Michael Krepon, Co-founder and President Emeritus of the Henry L. Stimson Center

Len Weiss, Consultant and former Staff Director of the U.S. Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs

WHO: The Federation of American Scientists (www.fas.org)
WHAT: India Nuclear Technology Transfer Deal

WHEN: 1:30 – 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, 14 June 2006

WHERE: The National Press Club
Lisagor Room
529 14th Street, NW
Washington, DC20045
http://npc.press.org/abouttheclub/maps.cfm.
NOTE TO REPORTERS -- To RSVP for this event, please contact Monica Amarelo at email [email protected] or call 202-454-4680. Interviews are available upon request. Space is limited.

The FAS event is free and open to the public. A lite lunch will be available at 1:30 pm EDT followed by welcome remarks at 2:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, 14 June in the Lisagor Room of the National Press Club, 529 14th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20045. For directions please visit - http://npc.press.org/abouttheclub/maps.cfm.

Non-reporters must pre-register by sending e-mail to [email protected] . Please include your name, title, and organizational affiliation in your response.

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The Federation of American Scientists (www.fas.org) was formed in 1945 by atomic scientists from the Manhattan Project. Endorsed by nearly 60 Nobel Laureates in biology, chemistry, economics, medicine and physics as sponsors, the Federation has addressed a broad spectrum of national security issues in carrying out its mission to promote humanitarian uses of science and technology. Today, FAS projects study nuclear arms control and global security; conventional arms transfers; proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; information technology for human health; and government information policy. The FAS Housing Technology Project combines the talents of engineers and energy specialists to develop new materials and design methods that will lead to safe, energy-efficient, affordable homes in the U.S. and abroad. The FAS Information Technologies Project works on strategies to harness the potential of emerging information technologies to improve how we teach and learn

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Official Website: http://www.fas.org