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India: Bush Visit Has Strong Economic Content, Nuclear Deal Not Ready

Posted on: Wednesday, 1 March 2006, 09:00 CST

India: Bush visit has strong economic content, nuclear deal not ready

NEW DELHI, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President George W. Bush's visit to India will have strong economic and trade content, but the eye-catching nuclear deal are not ready despite considerable progress, said Indian Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran here Tuesday.

The two sides both have "big anticipation and expectation" over the visit and believed it will lead to a further maturation and development of strategic partnership, Saran told the press Tuesday.

India and the United States will talk about cooperation in diverse fields, including trade and commerce, energy, agriculture and science and technology with a strong economic and trade content, he said.

The CEOs forum, made up of ten U.S. and ten Indian businessmen and officials, will meet and come out its recommendations to further the economic and trade relations between the two countries, especially on the two-way investment in infrastructure and high tech industry.

On response to the question about the ongoing talks of civilian nuclear cooperation, Saran said, "We have managed to make considerable progress. But we still have a short distance to cover. If necessary, we will go on negotiating in the future."

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told the Parliament on Monday that India will keep the indigenous fast breeder reactor program out of international inspections, which is one of the key differences between the two sides on the plan to separate India's civilian and military nuclear facilities.

But the two countries will work on other aspects of energy cooperation, Saran said, adding that important announcements for enhancing cooperation in zero-emission coal-based thermal power plants and non-conventional energy cooperation are likely to be made during Bush's visit.

India is also looking forwards to cooperation with the United States in space sector, HIV and bird flu and national disaster relief, he said.

Bush, accompanied by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley, Trade Representative Rob Portman and other senior officials, will meet Singh and Sonia Gandhi, the president of Congress Party, and visit Hyderabad, capital of south India's Andhra Pradesh, meeting with farmers, agriculture experts and businessman of IT industry.

Source: Xinhua News Agency - CEIS

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