US President George W. Bush and his entourage concluded on
Saturday a four-day visit to Afghanistan, India and Pakistan, which
was highlighted by the nuclear energy cooperation deal with India
and war against terrorism.
The visit is believed to be, in recent years, the most important
visit by US top leader to South Asia. Bush and leaders of the
visited countries exchanged views over issues ranging from civil
nuclear energy cooperation, trade, foreign investment to war
against terror and democratic process.
Litmus test
Prior to Bush's visit India, mass media likened the planned
signing of a nuclear deal, agreed in principle last July, to a
litmus test of improving US-India relations.
Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced jointly
that the detailed agreement, which will open most Indian reactors
to international inspections and provide the growing nation with US
civil nuclear technology, had been signed.
Under the agreement, India will separate its civilian and
military nuclear facilities, a major move for overall civil nuclear
cooperation between the two countries.
Political observers said that the landmark deal, which
experienced prolonged bargaining, is of great significance.
It is not limited to the provision of thirsty and clean energy
for India, and the promotion of international exchanges of
environmental protection technology. But more importantly, the deal
opens the door for US-India nuclear cooperation and thereby
effectively accepted India's status as a nuclear-weapons power.
It also demonstrated in a way that grudges and suspicion between
the two countries during and after the Cold War has been cleaned
out greatly if not completely.
While the nuclear deal was finalized, the two nations also
agreed to expand cooperation in agriculture, science and
technology, and civil space, including space exploration, satellite
navigation and earth science.
In addition, the US Defense Department also offered on Thursday
to sell advanced F-16 and the F-18 combat aircraft to India. Such a
rapid growing cooperation between Washington and New Delhi have
prompted people to reach an conclusion that the United States and
India are already on their marks to kick off an omnidirectional
cooperation.
However, Americans have different opinions about what the Bush
administration has offered to India, which has by now not yet
signed the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
Bush's supporters believe that the nuclear energy agreement, the
most important achievement Bush got in the trip, will broaden
bilateral exchanges and beef up their strategic partnership.
However, opponents worried about Bush's double standard over
nuclear issue.
It is meaningless to have a "safeguarded" civilian nuclear
energy program if there is an "un-safeguarded military nuclear
program sitting right alongside it," said Rep. Edward Markey, co-
chairman of the House Nuclear Nonproliferation Task Force.
The Democrat said that he was gathering support for a
congressional resolution opposing the nuclear deal.
Under US law, the disputed agreement still needs the approval of
the US Congress and the 44-member Nuclear Suppliers Group. In this
sense, the disputed agreement will be facing some more challenges
before it is implemented.
Black war
?
To people's surprise, almost all the activities Bush took in South
Asia trip were arranged in a secret way. US officials did not
announce Bush's visit to Afghanistan until he arrived in Kabul
where he spent no more than four hours.
The suicide bombing attack, which occurred outside US consulate
in Karachi, Pakistan, a day before Bush arrived in Islamabad has
once again set US security officials' nerve on edge.
"With running lights off and window shades drawn, Air Force One
hid its profile as it flew through the night bringing President
Bush to Pakistan. Anti-American sentiment runs high in this Islamic
nations and terrorist attacks are an ever-present threat," the
Associated Press reported on Bush's arrival at the Islamabad
international airport on Friday.
The vivid and to the point words are just a portrayal true to
Bush's Pakistan journey.
It demonstrated from another side the main purpose of Bush's
visit is to urge Islamabad to make stronger efforts to curb
terrorist activities.
Pakistan is a staunch ally of the United States in war against
terror. Mass media have noticed that in his daylong visit to
Pakistan, Bush paid a lot of attention to anti-terrorism.
Bush did not spend his time evenly in three countries. Some
analysts believed that India was in this time a key stop in Bush's
tour, whereas that of Pakistan and Afghanistan, were symbolic.
Such an arrangement should result from a consideration of "
diplomatic balance", analysts said.
(Xinhua News Agency March 6, 2006)
