WASHINGTON: US President George W Bush will sign the legislation on the Indo-US nuclear deal, approved by the Congress, into a law on Wednesday, the White House said. Bush will sign the Bill H R 7081, named after Howard Berman, a Democrat who was strongly opposed to the deal on non-proliferation grounds but was brought around to accepting it recently, on October 8 at the White House.
"The President cordially invites you to the Signing of H.R. 7081, United States India Nuclear Cooperation Approval and Nonproliferation Enhancement Act," reads an invitation sent out by the White House. US Secretary Of State Condoleezza Rice left India early on Sunday morning without signing the 123 agreement after India had refused to sign the 123 Agreement till Bush took care of India’s concerns on certain inconsistencies and riders attached to the legislation that was passed by the US Congress.
Even assurances from Rice, who has been at the forefront of pushing the deal in the US Congress, failed to sway the Indian establishment. Bush will now attach a signing statement that will hopefully take care of the concerns raised by India. This will pave the way for the signing of the 123 Agreement.
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee is expected to travel to the US soon. Both she and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee had hoped that the 123 Agreement, which will govern bilateral nuclear cooperation between India and the US, would be signed `soon.’ Rice sought to dispel any notions that there were any ``open issues’ between India and the US.
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