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US Congress interested in getting Indo-US N-deal passed

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

New Delhi, April 11, IRNA
India-US-Nuclear
Leading senator and chairman of the US Senate's Foreign Relations Sub-Committee, Chuck Hagel has said that the US Congress is deeply interested in getting the Indo-US nuclear deal passed.

He also said that efforts were on in the Senate to accelerate the process.

Hailing the deal, Hagel said no conditions or amendments were required in it but suggested that India and the Bush Administration should "reassure" Pakistan, China and other countries of the region on the agreement, media report said here.

Hagel, member of the Senate Foreign Relations, said that the "general mood" in the Congress is "positive" on the deal and the hearing in the Congress on the deal was on an "accelerating track." Observing that the Congress was dealing with a "complicated, big issue," he expressed confidence that it will be endorsed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives by the end of the year.

Hagel, who met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, said the agreement was "strategically, one of the most thoughtful new approaches" to foreign policy in 25 years.

"This agreement is particularly important step forward in framing up a new strategic framework of relationship between the two countries," he said, but noted that "these are imperfect agreements.

There is no agreement that I have seen which is perfect."
Contending that there will be questions which will have to be answered, he said there is requirement for "no addition, no subtraction and no amendments" in the deal clinched on 2nd March during the visit of President George Bush to India.

When referred to the recent claims by a US Congressman that India was training Iranian Navy, he said the "questions on Iran are legitimate but it is not a condition" with regard to the Indo-US nuclear deal.

Senator Charles Hagel and An eight-member Congressional delegation arrived here yesterday to discuss the recent Indo-US civilian nuclear agreement and look into the transformed relations between two countries.

The delegation, including seven Republicans and one Democrat, will also visit Nepal and Vietnam.

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