McCain to back Indo-US nuclear deal

NEW YORK: Strongly backing the stalled civilian nuclear deal with India, presumptive Republican presidential candidate John McCain has said it would strengthen the US' ties with the world's largest democracy and further involve New Delhi in non-proliferation efforts.

"I support the US-India Civil Nuclear Accord as a means of strengthening our relationship with the world's largest democracy, and further involving India in the fight against proliferation," said in a major foreign policy speech at the University of Denver, Colorado.

McCain, 71, who has sealed the Republican nomination for the November Presidential elections said the US should engage actively with both India and Pakistan to improve the security of nuclear stockpiles and weapons materials.

McCain's remarks assume importance as doubts remain whether the landmark deal, facing opposition from the Left parties and BJP, can come through during the Bush administration's tenure.

"We should engage actively with both India and Pakistan to improve the security of nuclear stockpiles and weapon material and construct a secure global nuclear order that eliminates the likelihood of proliferation and the possibility of nuclear conflict," McCain said.

Vowing to work for total elimination of nuclear weapons, McCain also called for negotiation with China to temporarily halt production of nuclear grade material and new treaty with Russia to destroy more atomic weapons to significantly reduce the arsenal.

Sharply criticising previous administrations for their failure to stop nuclear proliferation, he stressed that his policies would aim at moving towards a "significantly" smaller nuclear force compare with thousands of atomic warhead that are now deployed and called for bipartisan approach to strengthening international arms treaties.

"We need to enlist all willing partners in the global battle against nuclear proliferation," McCain said while inissting that civilian nuclear energy can play a critical role in fighting against global warming.

Civilian nuclear power, he said, provides a way for the US and other "responsible nations" to achieve energy independence and reduce dependence on foreign oil and gas.

His meeting was disturbed four times by protesters opposing Iraq war. They were escorted out and offered no resistance. But even as they shouted anti-war slogans, hundreds of his supported chanted his name in an effort to drown their voices.

"Some nations use the pretense of civilian nuclear programmes as cover for nuclear weapons programs.... We cannot continue allowing nations to enrich and reprocess uranium, ostensibly for civilian purposes, and stand by impotently as they develop weapons programme," McCain said, apparently referring to Iran.

McCain said he would support international guarantees of nuclear fuel supply to countries that renounce enrichment and reprocessing, as well as the establishment of multinational nuclear enrichment centres in which they can participate.

"Nations that seek nuclear fuel for legitimate civilian purposes will be able to acquire what they need under international supervision," he said.

This is one suggestion Russia and others have made to Iran, McCain said, adding, "unfortunately, the Iranian government has so far rejected this idea.  Perhaps with enough outside pressure and encouragement, they can be persuaded to change their minds before it is too late."

Distancing himself from the Bush administration's policies, he asserted that his dream is same as that of President Ronald Reagan --- banish nuclear weapons from the face of the earth.  But this is a "distant and difficult goal," he told the audience.

McCain promised to work with Russia and China to stop proliferation of nuclear weapons and spoke about the possibility of cancelling nuclear "bunker busting" bombs which are capable of penetrating even underground bunkers.

In an apparent effort to stress his multilateral credentials, McCain said the US cannot stop nuclear weapons by unilateral action and the ability to defend itself and allies against nuclear threat depends on international cooperation.

A spokesman of Democratic front runner Barack Obama said that the substance of it mirrored Obama's positions but that McCain has no track record of leading on the issue.

"No speech by John McCain can change the fact that he has not led on nonproliferation issues when he had the chance in the Senate," Obama spokesman Bill Burton was quoted as saying by CNN.

McCain's "support for a war against Iraq -- which had no active nuclear programme -- diverted us from our efforts to secure loose nuclear materials, hampered our ability to pressure countries like North Korea and Iran, and set back our ability to lead the world against the threat of nuclear weapons," he said.

McCain, however, criticised Obama for his statements that he would not mind talking with leaders of Iran and North Korea, telling the audience that this course had been tried previously without success.