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EVEN as the us pushes itself forward asthe patron-in-chief of the nuclear non-proliferation camp, it is going steadilyahead with its nuclear trade transactions. It recently signed a revised treatywith the European Union on the trading of us-origin nuclear fuel, reactorsand important reactor parts.
The treaty had run Into trouble as uslaw allowed only bilateral treaties withclient countries. it is a follow-up of a1960 accord which expires in December1"S, and which needed to be ratified.Now the differences have been sortedout, although the ratification has come2 months too late. There will be a legalvoid in the first 2 months of next yearwhen the previous accord lapses andthe new one is yet to come into effect.
'There will be no agreement inplace and trans-Atlantic nuclear tradewill be blocked," say sources intrussels. However, trade in smallerparts of reactors and safety materials isunlikely to be affected through theperiod of likely treaty lapse.