Bush urges India cooperate on nuclear plans

New Delhi, Feb 22 (UNI) US President George W Bush today said the implementation of the July 18 civilian nuclear agreement with India would take ''time and patience'' and urged New Delhi to produce a plan to separate its civilian and military nuclear programme to bring it into the global mainstream.

In a speech to the Asia Society before his upcoming visit to India and Pakistan next month, which was aired live by the US embassy here, President Bush said India must bring its civilian nuclear programme under the IAEA safeguards.

''This is not an easy decision for India, neither is it for the US. It will take time and patience from both the Parties involved...I'll continue to encourage India to produce a credible, transparent and defensible plan to separate its civilian and military nuclear programme,'' Mr Bush said.

He, however, reafirmed the US commitment to bring India's nuclear programme into international mainstream.

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