White House Official Defends Russia Nuclear Deal

WASHINGTON — A Bush administration official sought to convince skeptical lawmakers yesterday that an American-Russian agreement on civilian nuclear power would not undermine efforts to rein in Iran's nuclear program. But he encountered serious opposition centered partly on suspicion of Russia and its technology dealings with Iran.

Although announcement of the deal last month provoked swift criticism from lawmakers, it remains unclear whether opponents have sufficient votes to block it.

The administration views the agreement as a breakthrough in cooperation reached at a time of rising tension between Washington and Moscow over issues including missile defense, NATO expansion, and differences on Iran. It would give America access to state-of-the-art Russian nuclear technology and would help Russia establish an international nuclear fuel storage facility.