The Hindu Business Line : Bush looks to sign 123 agreement soon: Rice

Firming up support: The External Affairs Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee Mukherjee, greets the US Secretary of State, Ms Condoleezza Rice, before addressing a press conference at the Hyederabad House in the Capital on Saturday. Firming up support: The External Affairs Minister, MrPranab Mukherjee Mukherjee, greets the US Secretary of State, Ms Condoleezza Rice, before addressing a press conference at the Hyederabad House in the Capital on Saturday.

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New Delhi, Oct 4 The US President, Mr George Bush, hopes to sign the 123 Agreement soon, the visiting Secretary of State, Ms Condoleezza Rice, said here on Saturday.

“The 123 Agreement is a done matter. It is consistent with the Hyde Act. The President looks forward to signing the legislation very soon. The issue of signing is just an administrative matter,”Ms Rice said at a press conference soon after concluding talks with the Minister for External Affairs, Mr Pranab Mukherjee.

In response to another question Mr Mukherjee said India will be in a position to sign the Agreement after it has been signed by the US President. “The civil nuclear energy initiative is now in its last lap. We look forward to signing our 123 Agreement and bringing it into effect soon,” Mr Mukherjee said.

The Secretary of State was of the view that the firm foundations to the Indo-US relations, laid by the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh and the President, Mr George W. Bush, in 2005, will become stronger in the days to come.

A statement issued at the conclusion of the official talks states that both India and the US were not only satisfied with the status of bilateral relationship but also convinced of its future potential.

“Today the US is India’s largest trading partner, our largest source of investment and a major source of technology. As India grows and develops our relationship with the US too will grow and develop,” the statement adds and points out that both the countries are convinced of the future prospects of the relationship.

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