The United States will further its relationship with India, the
White House said on Friday, three days before President George W.
Bush signs the US-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act.
Praising India's growing economy and its democratic
construction, White House spokesman Tony Snow said "It is very
important to us that we continue to deepen our relationship with
India."
The US Congress approved the nuclear cooperation deal between
the United States and India last week to allow US shipments of
civilian nuclear fuel to India.
The nuclear agreement, which was negotiated in March 2006 by
President Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India,
will lift a decades-long ban on nuclear sales to India, in part,
because of the country's refusal to sign the Nuclear
Nonproliferation Treaty.
Under U.S. laws, following Bush's signature on US-India nuclear
cooperation bill next Monday, the two countries still have to
obtain an exception for India in the rules of the Nuclear Suppliers
Group, an assembly of nations that export nuclear material, before
civil nuclear shipments could begin.
Besides, India also has to reach a safeguard agreement with the
International Atomic Energy Agency.
(Xinhua News Agency December 16, 2006)
