The Hindu : Front Page : Bush, Manmohan discuss nuclear deal

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Thursday, Jul 10, 2008
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Bush, Manmohan discuss nuclear deal

K. Venugopal

Progress made in all areas including nuclear cooperation, says Manmohan

Deal is important for both nations, says Bush
Dr. Singh also meets Australian Prime Minister

— Photo: AP

Reviewing Progress: U.S. President George W. Bush with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the sidelines of the G8 summit in the resort of Toyako on Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido on Wednesday. The two leaders discussed many issues, including the nuclear deal. Mr. Bush said “it was a typical conversation among friends.”

Sapporo: “It was a typical conversation among friends,” was how U.S. President George Bush described his meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that extended well beyond the half hour that it was slotted. And they talked about the nuclear deal that has been in the works since the two leaders first met in July 2005.

In statements made to the media after their early morning meeting on the margins of the G-8 meeting at Toyako in northern Japan, Mr. Bush said how important it (the nuclear deal) was for their respective countries; Dr. Singh spoke of the “progress made in nuclear cooperation.”

Mr. Bush said they talked about free trade, the Doha round (of talks at the World Trade Organisation) and “how important it is that nations such as India and the United States find common ground to make sure protectionist sentiments don’t wall us off from the rest of the world.”

He talked of the educational exchanges, reminding Dr. Singh “that the Indian-American population is very proud of this relationship, and proud of their heritage, and proud of the leadership of the Prime Minister.”

On the issue of environment, the President said they discussed “how we can work together to grow our economies and, at the same time, be responsible stewards of the environment.”

Dr. Singh said that he was “very pleased with the state of our relationship, which has truly acquired the characteristic of a genuine strategic partnership,” a relationship that Mr. Bush said was one that addressed some of the world’s problems as well.

“We have made progress in all areas. We have progress in nuclear cooperation, space cooperation, defence cooperation, educational exchanges, our working together in multilateral institutions for the success of the Doha Round,” Dr. Singh said. The Prime Minister later met Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

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