Singh seeks a clean deal, says it should satisfy India

WASHINGTON: With conditions cropping up in the Congressional legislation on the Indo-US nuclear deal and in Administration's views, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has sought an agreement that will satisfy India, a plea that was strongly reciprocated by President George W Bush.
    
The two leaders, who met here for the last time during Bush's Presidency, put behind their disappointment last night over not being able to ink the agreement they had reached three years ago and praised each other's leadership in bringing about a strong strategic relationship between the two countries.
    
"One such sign of that leadership is the India-US civil nuclear arrangement. This has taken a lot of work on both our parts, a lot of courage on your part.
    
"And of course, we want the agreement to satisfy you and get out of our Congress. So we are working hard to get it passed as quickly as possible," Bush said in his remarks at the end on an hour-long meeting.
    
Singh responded warmly, saying, "I sincerely hope that the settlement which is now before the US Congress will be approved in a manner which will be satisfactory from the point of view of both of our countries."
    
He went the extra distance to praise Bush saying, "And when history is written, I think it will be recorded that President George W Bush made an historic goal in bringing our two democracies closer to each other."
    
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday approved overwhelmingly a legislation on the deal which has a provision that all nuclear cooperation with India will cease in case of a nuclear test by New Delhi. The provision was also included in the bill moved by Congressman Howard Berman in the House of Representatives yesterday.

The Indian side is also not happy with the wording of the legislation.
    
The Prime Minister also did not miss the opportunity to bring to his host's notice that he was mentioning the civil nuclear initiative because for 34 years India has suffered from a nuclear apartheid.
    
"We have not been able to trade in nuclear material, nuclear reactors and nuclear raw materials. And when this restrictive regime ends, a great deal of credit will go to President Bush. And for this I am very grateful to you Mr President," he said.
    
Noting that this would be his last visit during Bush's Presidency, Singh said, "Let me say thank you very much. The people of India deeply love you and all that you have done to bring our two countries closer to each other is something history..."
    
After their talks and a brief interaction with the media, Bush hosted a dinner for Singh at the Old Family Room in the White House.
    
Later briefing the media, Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon said India was not worried if the passage of the deal was delayed in the US Congress as it enjoyed bi-partisan support. Both Presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain have spoken for the deal, he noted.

Rejecting suggestions that American suppliers of nuclear equipment would be placed at disadvantage if the adoption of deal by the Congress was delayed, Menon said the sheer number of reactors India needs would not allow that.
    
"The issue will be of economic competitiveness of the companies," he said.
    
However, he declined to set any time-frame for the deal to go through the Congress or comment on the ongoing political process, saying it is America's internal matter.
    
Asked whether India would be able to start buying equipment from other member countries of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), including France and Russia, even if the deal is held up in the Congress, he said the NSG waiver provides that its members can cooperate with India and it is for the group's members to do so.
    
Speaking about the Singh-Bush meeting, Menon said the two leaders also touched issues of regional importance, including the need to continue support to Afghanistan's transformation into a peaceful society and to free the region from terrorism.

Menon replied in the affirmative when asked if Pakistan came up during the discussion, but said it was not a large part of the parleys.
    
Earlier, Bush told Singh he appreciated very much his briefing on the "neighbourhood in which you live," in an apparent reference to the situation in Pakistan. "It was very informative, and it helps me make decisions and it helps me formulate policy," he said.
    
"You and I have worked hard to change the relationship between our countries. India is a great country, with an incredibly bright future," Bush said. "I appreciate your friendship and I appreciate your leadership."
    
He said he will never forget his visit to India in March 2006 and that he remembers telling his friends when he got back that what an exciting place India was.
    
"There is a vibrancy and an energy, and there's an entrepreneurial spirit that's very strong. And I congratulate you and your government for enhancing that entrepreneurial spirit," Bush said.