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Bush wants progress on nuclear deal

Washington: Nudging India to get moving on the India-U.S. nuclear deal, the U.S. President, George W. Bush, wants to see progress in what he believes is a “very important agreement.”

The latest U.S. reminder on the stalled deal came hours before the UPA-Left coordination panel meeting in New Delhi to break the deadlock. “We would like to see progress in India and that would certainly help our Congress as well,” White House Press Secretary Dana Perino said on Tuesday.

Asked whether the President was briefed on the last ditch efforts being made in India to save the deal, she said: “But the President keeps regularly updated on it. He thinks it’s a very important agreement.”

Ms. Perino’s comments were yet another reminder to the UPA government to move forward on the deal in an attempt to see that the remaining steps were concluded, including getting the green signal from the U.S. Congress before the end of Mr. Bush’s term on January 20 next year.

State Department Spokesman Tom Casey on Tuesday said: “Every day that goes by is one less day on the legislative calendar for us to be able to have congressional action take place. So, it certainly gets harder every day that is delayed.”

He reiterated that the deal was in the interest of all parties concerned in a bid to counter criticism from within India that the deal was not in the national interest. and hoped that the next administration would also support it. — PTI

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Bush wants progress on nuclear deal

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