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Friday, Nov 10, 2006
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Trying to get nuclear deal done: Bush

Ready to go with the Bill on civilian nuclear agreement with India, say Democrats

SOMBRE, BUT SURE-FOOTED: U.S. President George W. Bush and the members of his Cabinet in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington on Thursday. - PHOTO: AP

Washington: Notwithstanding the Democrats' emphatic victory in U.S. Congressional elections, President George W. Bush on Thursday vowed to push through the civilian nuclear deal with India in the coming `lame duck' session of the Senate.

"I'm trying to get the Indian [nuclear] deal done, the Vietnam [trade] deal done and the budgets done," Mr. Bush told a press conference.

Mr. Bush's remarks are certain to be welcome in New Delhi, especially against the backdrop of apprehensions about the fate of the Bill in view of the Democrats' impressive show and the reservations of the proliferation hawks in the party about the deal with India. The civilian nuclear deal has been identified as one of the top priorities of the administration in this session of the Senate, the other two being the Vietnam Trade Bill and the Domestic Surveillance Bill.

New Delhi is optimistic the Senate will take up the nuclear deal in the brief session, likely to take place on November 15-16, to enable the completion of the Congressional processes by the year-end. Basing its hope on the "broad-based bipartisan support" the deal enjoys, India sees a "very good chance" of the Bill securing the Senate's approval.

On its part, New Delhi maintains that the parameters of the proposed law have been clearly outlined by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Parliament and that is "really the template".

Allaying fears that a power shift from Republicans will impede the passage of the deal, Senate Democratic party leader Harry Reid said they wanted the deal with India.

Joe Biden, a top Democrat on the Senate's Foreign Affairs panel, said lawmakers were "ready to go with the India bill." He said it would take ``at least a day's worth of debate, no more than two,'' to settle the bill in the Senate.With the deal receiving bipartisan support, he said it will be cleared ``with a very large vote.'' — PTI

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