Let us foster a strategic relationship, says Bush

 

Washington: President George W Bush hopes to reach an agreement with India on the separation of civil and military nuclear installations during his visit to India in early March. Such a deal would make it easier for him to sell a US-India nuclear energy cooperation proposal to the US Congress.

 

In an interview with this writer on the eve of his visit, Bush admitted it had not been easy closing the deal.

 

“As we speak, Nick Burns, of the State Department, is discussing this vital issue with Indian counterparts. We are working through what has been…a difficult issue for the Indian government, as well for the American government. To change the past, the ways of the past can be difficult at times.”

 

President Bush praised Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s courage in “laying out a way forward, which I support.” Bush linked the nuclear energy deal with the larger question of energy saving and India’s future economic development, which, he pointed out, would be beneficial for American business and the American people.

 

“We want people buying American products, Indians want Americans buying Indian products, and that exchange of trade in a free and fair way is beneficial for workers and consumers,” he said.

 

He thought India was a “responsible nuclear nation”. Asked why India had to struggle to get a civilian nuclear agreement when its energy requirements were similar to China’s, another big, growing economy, he said: “There are the nuclear suppliers’ group and the IAEA — in other words, the world has signed on to this. We think it’s in India’s interest to do so, as it pertains to its civilian nuclear power industry. It will give confidence to people. It will make it easier for the United States to work with India. This will be a confidence-building measure that we don’t believe is an unrealistic request,” he said.

 

Bush answered a wide range of questions, ranging from Kashmir to why the US had not come out openly in support of India’s bid for a seat on the UN Security Council and even his interest in India as a young man.

 

He said America supported a solution that would be acceptable to “all sides,” which included Indians, Pakistanis and Kashmiris.

 

The US President also insisted that there was a need to reform many institutions within the UN before a “reform” of the Security Council could be considered. “I fully understand the Indian position, just like other nations, that we will take your case under consideration, but first things first,” he said.

 

He thought India and US shared a vital common interest in fighting terrorism. He also said India had done  a “magnificent” job in showing the world how democracy worked.

 

Asked why the US had not questioned Pakistani scientist AQ Khan who had helped countries like Iran acquire nuclear weapons technology, Bush pointed out that it was the US and British intelligence that had originally exposed the “conspiracy” of sharing sensitive nuclear related technologies.

 

In an answer to a question about whether he would rather see a Bollywood film or a cricket match, the US President initially did not understand the question and then said he was a “cricket match person,” and hoped he would learn something about it on his visit.