VIENNA, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- The 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) Saturday approved a U.S. proposal to lift its 34-year-old nuclear trade embargo on India.

    The agreement, which came after two days of talks in Vienna, cleared the way for the U.S. administration to submit its contentious nuclear trade deal with India to the Congress for approval.

    Under the deal signed by the U.S. and India in March 2006, India will get access to U.S. civil nuclear technology on the condition that India is to separate nuclear facilities for civilian and military use and open its nuclear facilities for inspection.

    The NSG, which controls the export and sale of nuclear technology worldwide, had been divided on the agreement, passed already by India's parliament in July.

    Some experts said the agreement, if implemented, would set a dangerous precedent, which would jeopardize the long-time efforts of the international nuclear non-proliferation mechanism and also trigger a regional nuclear arms race.

    On Aug. 1, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) agreed to sign a nuclear safeguards agreement with India, a move seen as giving the green light to India-U.S. nuclear cooperation.

    India conducted its first nuclear test in May 1974. The South Asian country has been under a nuclear trade embargo, which the NSG imposes on countries which are not signatories of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

    Addressing Saturday's meeting, Cheng Jingye, head of the Chinese delegation, pointed out that it is China's hope that the decision made by the NSG would stand the test of time and contribute to the goals of nuclear non-proliferation and peaceful use of nuclear power.

    It is also China's hope that the NSG would equally address the aspirations of all parties for the peaceful use of nuclear power while adhering to the nuclear non-proliferation mechanism, he stressed.

    China would cooperate with all parties on the peaceful use of nuclear power in accordance with its international obligations and on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, he said.