WASHINGTON - July 28 - Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich (D-OH) gave the following speech July 26, 2006 on the United States and India Nuclear Cooperation Promotion Act:

“This proposal would threaten global security and unilaterally modify the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.

“This Administration has pursued contradictory policies with respect to the NPT, both misusing and disregarding the NPT to suit its stumbling interests. Regarding Iran, for example, the Administration has cited Iran (a signatory of the NPT) for minor breaches of the NPT, to rally support for a military attack. At the same time, the Administration itself undermines the NPT by promoting this deal, which would help develop nuclear weapons.

“The NPT requires that nuclear weapons states keep their weapons to themselves, and allows non-weapons states to receive civilian nuclear technology only in exchange for their refusal to produce nuclear weapons. Yet under the U.S.-India deal, the U.S. will provide India with civilian nuclear technology, even though India is not a signatory to the NPT, is known to possess nuclear weapons, and has no intention of limiting its nuclear weapons cache or production capability.

“Moreover, since the U.S. will supply India with uranium fuel, India will be able to use more of its own limited uranium reserves to produce nuclear weapons. It is estimated that India will be able to produce dozens more nuclear weapons per year under this deal.

“We are going in the wrong direction here. At this time of great crisis in the world, we should be looking toward nuclear disarmament, nuclear abolition, saving the world, not ramping up for Armageddon by unrestrained nuclear proliferation.”

On July 26, Kucinich introduced legislation, HR 950, to abolish all nuclear weapons. Kucinich resolution states, “That the House of Representatives calls upon the President to initiate multilateral negotiations for the abolition of nuclear weapons.”

###