WASHINGTON: US president George W Bush is set to sign the legislation on the Indo-US nuclear deal into law on Wednesday, an occasion when India expects certain provisions of the 123 Agreement will be cleared.

Bush, who had entered into the civil nuclear co-operation agreement with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, three years ago, will sign the Bill HR 7081 on the nuclear deal at the East Room of the White House on Wednesday.

“The president cordially invites you to the signing of HR 7081, United States India Nuclear Co-operation Approval and Non-proliferation Enhancement Act,” reads an invitation sent out by the White House.

The historic agreement could not be inked during secretary of state Condoleezza Rice’s day-long visit to India on October 4 as New Delhi insisted that it would do so only after seeing Bush’s signing statement. India is expecting Bush to clear the American position on certain aspects like fuel supply assurances.

Ever since the Senate passed the legislation on October 1, senior officials have privately maintained that Bush will be keen on having a signing ceremony in which he will have the opportunity to thank not only members of his administration, especially at the state department and White House who worked to secure the deal, but also lawmakers and leaders of the Indian community in US.

The bill was approved by the House of Representatives before the Senate gave its nod for it. It had bi-partisan support in both the House and Senate.

More energy concerns of the country are expected to be addressed when external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee travels to Iran on November 1 to discuss ways to push the proposed trilateral gas pipeline project.

India and Iran are expected to discuss a way forward in the proposed $ 7.4 billion Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline which is failing to take off due to pricing and security issues. Mr Mukherjee will be in the Iranian capital for two days for the joint commission meeting during which the two sides are expected to discuss various other initiatives to enhance their ties.

There has been no progress on the issue as India has been boycotting gas pipeline talks since August 2007 over transit fee demanded by Pakistan for passage of gas through that country. Besides transit fee issue, India has security apprehensions of a pipeline that will pass through Pakistan.

Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who also holds the petroleum portfolio, had met oil minister Murli Deora during his visit here in June after which he said the two sides have resolved all issues.

Tehran feels that New Delhi had delayed the project because of the Indo-US nuclear deal and is hoping that the pipeline initiative will see forward movement since the atomic agreement has been completed.

source: economictimes

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