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Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Nov 13, 2006
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Pranab hopeful of nuclear deal

Special Correspondent

"Political changes in every country does affect international relations"

Pranab Mukherjee

Kolkata: External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said here on Sunday that he was hopeful that the country's nuclear deal with the United States would be pushed through despite the change in composition of both the chambers of the U.S. Congress."There are political changes in every country, but that does affect international relations which do not depend on [the view-point of] a single political party but on relations between [the] countries [concerned]," Mr. Mukherjee said. Such changes do not affect a country's relations with another, he added.

"In the United States, there have been times when the Republicans were in power, times when the Democrats were. In India too, we have had the National Democratic Alliance in power and also the Congress [at other times]. Internal political changes do not affect relations between two countries. The relationship between the U.S. and India has been a long one," he said. Mr. Mukherjee also said that India had welcomed the recent political developments in Nepal and had all along supported the movement for democracy in that country.

Calls on Jyoti Basu

Mr. Mukherjee had called on veteran Marxist leader and former West Bengal Chief Minister, Jyoti Basu, at his residence on Saturday.

Apart from various issues of national and international importance, the two leaders reportedly discussed matters expected to figure at the United Progressive Alliance-Left Coordination Committee meeting to be held in New Delhi on Monday. The future of the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Bill, 2005 also figured in the talks.

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