Cheney hails India at business summit, says US committed to nuclear deal

US Vice President Dick Cheney today expressed confidence that the Indo-US civilian nuclear agreement, pending in the Congress for approval, would get bipartisan Congressional support.

Addressing the 31st Annual Leadership Summit of United States India Business Council, Cheney came out strongly in support of the nuclear deal saying it was vital for both the countries. He also said that the agreement strengthens the non-proliferation regime rather than putting it in jeopardy.

This was for the first time that a US vice president was addressing a USIBC meet, which many observers say signifies the growing importance of the economic relationship between the two countries. Referring to the jumbo Indo-US caucus at Capitol Hill, Cheney said its leadership constituted of both Republicans and Democrats and there was no reason why the nuclear agreement, which is an important foreign policy initiative of the Bush Administration, will not go through.

Praising India and its strong emerging economy, Dick Cheney said the country was very important for US industrynot only in terms of its large and growing middle class but also for its huge skilled manpower. Moving one step ahead of what President Bush calls a natural relationship between the two countries, Cheney was full of praise for India’s strong and deep rooted democratic values, and exprseed optimism that India would soon be able to solve its problems with its neighbours.

The vice president was presented with the USIBC’s Distinguished Service Award for Exemplary Leadership in uniting the US and Indiathe two great democracies in the 21st century.

David M Cote, chairman and CEO of Honeywell International, and Ratan Tata, chairman of the Tata Group were also felicitated with USIBC’s 31st Anniversary Leadership Awards at the day long function.

Bush-Manmohan to meet at G-8 summit
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Washington: In their first direct interaction after firming up the Indo-US nuclear deal, President George W Bush will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh next month in Russia at the G-8 summit in St Petersburg, according to US Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns.PTI