The Hindu : Front Page : Manmohan hopeful Bush will set right nuclear deal

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 19, 2006

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Front Page

Manmohan hopeful Bush will set right nuclear deal

N. Ram

"We shouldn't blow it out of proportion"

BACK HOME: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh addresses the media on arrival in New Delhi on Tuesday. — Photo: V. V. Krishnan

New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asserted that in response to the concerns he raised on Monday, he received assurances from President George Bush that the parameters laid down in the Indo-U.S. Joint Statement of July 18, 2005, the Separation Plan, and the statement of March 2, 2006 would be the "guiding factors" in the final shape of the legislation the United States Congress would adopt. Mr. Bush also promised him that "the administration would do everything in its power to facilitate that outcome."

Asked if he got any clear message that there would be no shifting of the goal-post, Dr. Singh replied: "Of course, that's what the President said. You heard him. In the full glare of the media, he said that."

The Prime Minister was speaking to journalists on board the special Air India flight bringing him and the Indian delegation back home from the G8 Summit in St. Petersburg on Tuesday.

What were the concerns uppermost in his mind about the legislation on civil nuclear cooperation with India making its way through the U.S. Congress? And could he add to what the Foreign Secretary had specified in his media briefing of Monday? "Well, I think the Foreign Secretary is better qualified [to tell you]," Dr. Singh joked, adding: "He has mentioned these yesterday. They have been conveyed to the U.S. Government. We shouldn't blow it out of proportion. Because the political process in the United States knows what our concerns are and I'm very hopeful that these concerns will be fully taken care of. I wouldn't like to blow up these differences, beyond that."

Asked why the Government chose not to go public with Indian concerns earlier, the Prime Minister commented: "We never said that we didn't have concerns. Our concerns are that whatever we are committed to in the July 18 statement, whatever we are committed to in the Separation Plan, and in the March 2 statement — those should be the guiding factors for the legislation. We cannot take any more commitments which are not explicitly stated in the Statements. I think the President fully understands."

Was this the final position? "Those are the broad parameters," Dr. Singh stated. "A comma here, there — those things can be looked at. But the broad parameters are clearly laid, spelt out by me."

India-Pakistan relations

The Prime Minister also answered questions on India-Pakistan relations following the terrorist attacks in Mumbai and Jammu & Kashmir and on the fight against terrorism.

On détente and the dialogue process between the two countries, he said: "We will look at whatever options there are. For the time being... I think the dialogue process has suffered. I wouldn't say `setback.' I think it is inevitable that in the background of this ghastly tragedy, we should reflect on our relations with Pakistan. But I have said more than once I have always believed that the destinies of the people of South Asia are closely interlinked. Both our countries need peace and stability to develop our development potential and anything that gives a setback to that process is not something that makes me happy."

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