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Washington: President George W. Bush has signed a historic law on the India-US civil nuclear deal with an assertion that it does not change American commitments on nuclear fuel assurances and reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel.
"By undertaking new cooperation on civil nuclear energy, India will be able to count on a reliable fuel supply for its civilian reactors," said Bush as he signed into law the Congressional approval of what he called a "big deal", at a ceremony in the East Room of the White House.
An accompanying presidential statement made it more explicit to allay India's concerns on the two critical issues. "The legislation does not change the terms of the 123 Agreement as I submitted it to the Congress," said Bush.
It simply enabled him to bring the bilateral agreement "into force and to accept on behalf of the US the obligations contained in the Agreement." "For our part, the US will gain access to a growing market for civilian nuclear technologies and materials, that will help American businesses create more jobs for our people here at home," he said of the deal that is expected to generate $150 billion nuclear trade.
Major milestone
Describing Prime Minster Manmohan Singh as a "dear friend," Bush said the Congressional approval of the accord "marks another major milestone in achieving the vision" that the Indian leader and he had "set forth on July 18, 2005."
Left parties react
Left parties termed President George Bush's assertion that Washington would ensure fuel supply for India's civil nuclear reactors as just verbal assurances from a man whose days as president were numbered. "We are not at all enthusiastic about what Bush says.
We can't believe anybody's words. The things what Bush said have not been mentioned in the document signed by him," T.J. Chandrachoodan, general secretary of the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), said.
While signing the historic law on the India-US civil nuclear deal, Bush said: "By undertaking new cooperation, India will be able to count on reliable fuel supply for its civilian reactors."
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