Operationalisation of Indo-US deal may take some more time

Indo-US civil nuclear deal, which was signed last October, will take some more time to get operationalised and discussions taking place on the details between the two countries are going in the right direction, US Consul General Paul A Folmsbee said on Wednesday.
    
"Both India and US are moving in the right direction and details of the deal are being worked to operationalise it. It is going to take some more time," Folmbsee said while interacting with journalists at the Press Club celebrating 100 days President Barack Obama in the office.
    
United States has a large civil nuclear business running 106 civilian power reactors and business with India will begin once the finer details are worked out, he said.
    
The US is committed to nuclear power and so the relationship is fantastic, he said.
    
To query on how President Obama plans to achieve a nuclear free world as he had declared, the consul general said a lot more negotiations are required to get to the target.
    
"He is the first President to talk about nuclear free world," he said.

When asked what is the current position on the initiative
that President Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev took in 1985 for nuclear disarmament process, Folmbsee said number of nuclear warheads in both US and erstwhile USSR have come down.
    
Regarding H1B visa, he said, there was absolutely no change in the number of visas issued.
    
It was due to global economic slowdown, the US Government
had taken a decision to link it with its unemployment problem. This has nothing to do nothing to do with H1B visa policy, he said.
    
It may be due to the slowing down of business here, they would be facing some restrictions in sending people out, he said.
    
Regarding Wednesday's meeting of US Charge d'Affairs Peter Burleigh with Prime Ministerial candidate of BJP L K Advani and TDP leader Chandrababu Naidu in New Delhi, he said, "during such dynamic democratic election process of India which is unique, diplomats keep meeting leaders of various parties for a better understanding."
    
"One should not read too much into it and should not speculate," he added.

On Pakistan and Afghanistan, he said they have resolved to strengthen their strategic partnership based on shared commitment toward promoting enduring peace, security, stability and economic cooperation.
    
Regarding the recent bombings in Pakistan, Folmbsee said, such incidents will not be allowed in future as it will be counter-productive to all.
    
The incident of bombing is under investigation, he added.
    
He also said, the US has new relationship with Afghanistan taking a non-military approach.
    
Asked about the statement made by Pakistani President Aif Ali Zardari on the creation of Taliban by CIA, he said, "you can draw linkages but it does not mean anything."
    
Regarding former US Ambassador Rober Blackwill's statement that US policy on Paksitan was a failure, Folmbsee said as an private citizen he has the right to make his observations. "But I do not believe in that," he added.