Manmohan Singh to meet Bush as nuke deal is down to the wire
September 25th, 2008 - 12:26 pm ICT by ANIBy Naveen Kapoor
New York , Sept 25 (ANI): Prime Minster Dr. Manmohan Singh will meet U.S. President George W. Bush in Washington this evening, even as the suspense over the passing of the Indo-U.S. civil nuclear deal in the U.S. Congress continues.
The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday voted 19-2 in favor of the deal. The bill has been sent to the full Congress for a vote. It has been presently tabled in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Reports suggest that some changes have been introduced into the text of the Senate Bill.
The Senate Bill reportedly states that United States will prevent the transfer of nuclear material technology if India conducts a nuclear test.
It also says that the U.S.-India civil nuclear deal will be subject to the provisions of the Hyde Act and other American laws.
Negotiations are still on between officials of the two sides, with India clearly stating its reservations to the United States .
It is being reported that a final statement by President George Bush can override the change in the language of the Senate Bill.
India has maintained that changes in the language of the Senate Bill is an internal matter of the United States, and that it will be solely guided and bound by the 123 agreement.
If passed, the Bill will end an over three-decade ban on US nuclear trade with India . The White House sees the deal as the cornerstone of a new strategic partnership with New Delhi .
The Congress, which is preoccupied with the Bush bail out package to overcome the domestic financial crisis, may approve the agreement, before Dr Singh’’s high powered working dinner with Bush today.
However, official sources made it clear that the Prime Minister will not be signing the 123 agreement during his meeting with Bush, even if it is approved by Congress.
The agreement will be signed formally by either the External Affairs Minister or at the official level.
Besides the nuke deal, issues like high-tech cooperation, agriculture, education and defence ties will figure prominently in Singh-Bush talks. (ANI)
- Manmohan Singh arrives in Washington for meeting with Bush(Priority) - Sep 26, 2008
- Obama names Clinton as certification authority of Indo-U.S. civilian nuclear deal - Mar 11, 2010
- Berman reiterates concerns about ambiguities in US-India nuke deal - Sep 26, 2008
- Obama administration committed to nuclear agreement with India: Wisner - Jul 15, 2009
- Manmohan Singh arrives in US, Senate panel approves n-deal (lead) - Sep 24, 2008
- Obama must ensure his prez campaign does not derail: Experts - Mar 15, 2011
- US Senate approves Indo-US nuke deal - Oct 02, 2008
- U.S. and India agree on cooperation for peaceful uses of nuclear energy - Jul 31, 2010
- Hillary to report on reprocessing deal to US Congress - May 05, 2010
- US firmly supports clean waiver to India: Roemer - Jun 30, 2011
- Milestones in India-US n-deal - Oct 02, 2008
- India, US will need to iron out irritants to take bilateral ties forward: Expert - Sep 01, 2010
- US working hard to get n-deal done during Manmohan visit - Sep 24, 2008
- Condoleeza Rice in Delhi, delay in signing 123 pact - Oct 04, 2008
- U.S. Congress passes $858 billion tax-cut extension - Dec 18, 2010
Tags: dr manmohan singh, dr singh, external affairs minister, foreign relations committee, george w bush, hyde act, internal matter, manmohan singh, material technology, naveen, nuclear deal, nuclear trade, president george bush, president george w bush, prime minster, senate bill, senate foreign relations, senate foreign relations committee, strategic partnership, us senate foreign relations committee