GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA HAS CRITICIZED THE RECENT US DECISION TO GIVE INDIA ACCESS TO LONG-DENIED NUCLEAR FUEL AND TECHNOLOGY, DPA QUOTED DER SPIEGEL MAGAZINE AS SAYING SATURDAY. THE MAGAZINE SAID MERKEL MADE KNOWN HER VIEWS IN A LONG TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH PRESIDENT GEORGE W BUSH, WHO ANNOUNCED THE DEAL DURING A VISIT TO INDIA AT THE BEGINNING OF MARCH. GERMANY IS AFRAID THE DEAL WILL ENCOURAGE IRAN TO CONTINUE WITH ITS OWN URANIUM ENRICHMENT PROGRAMME, WHICH COUNTRIES IN THE WEST FEAR IS GEARED TO MAKING NUCLEAR WEAPONS, DER SPIEGEL SAID. IN EXCHANGE FOR US NUCLEAR POWER TECHNOLOGY, INDIA AGREED TO SEPARATE ITS CIVILIAN AND MILITARY NUCLEAR PROGRAMMES AND SUBMIT MANY CIVILIAN NUCLEAR PLANTS TO INTERNATIONAL INSPECTION. THE DEAL, WHICH NEEDS APPROVAL FROM THE US CONGRESS, MARKS A TURNING POINT BECAUSE INDIA WAS UNABLE TO BUY NUCLEAR FUEL, PARTS OR EQUIPMENT FROM MOST NATIONS SINCE IT REFUSED TO SIGN THE NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY AND WENT ON TO DEVELOP A BOMB IN 1974. DER SPIEGEL, IN AN ARTICLE RELEASED IN ADVANCE OF PUBLICATION ON MONDAY, SAID THE US IS PRESSING THE 45-NATION NUCLEAR SUPPLIERS GROUP TO REVISE ITS GUIDELINES TO ALLOW DELHI ACCESS TO US TECHNOLOGY AND MATERIALS. AT A MEETING OF THE NSG IN VIENNA LAST WEEK, RUSSIA, FRANCE AND BRITAIN GAVE THEIR BACKING TO THE US MOVE, BUT CHINA AND BRAZIL OPPOSED IT, DER SPIEGEL SAID. GERMANY WAS NON-COMMITTAL BUT WILL BE FORCED TO TAKE A STAND WHEN THE AMERICANS FORMALLY SEEK APPROVAL OF THE DEAL WITH INDIA AT A FULL SESSION OF NSG IN JUNE, THE MAGAZINE SAID.
