Bush likes to see deal as his legacy to history

Washington, Mar 23 (UNI) US President George Bush would like to see the ''new global strategic partnership between India and the United States'' as his legacy to history and wants to be hailed in his old age as the leader who built it.

Making a resounding case for closer ties with India, Mr Bush said, "My hope is some day somebody will be asking a question, aren't you glad old George W. thought about entering into a strategic relationship with India?" Speaking at a meeting in Cleveland, Ohio, on Monday, the president lamented that for too long India and the US had not been "partners in peace" because of the Cold War.

"And now is the time to set the Cold War behind us," he said.

"It's over, folks. It no longer is. And let's think about the next 30 years," he added.

"And I believe it's in our country's interest that we have such a relationship," he stressed.

During his very first trip to India earlier this month President Bush struck a deal with New Delhi to give India access to nuclear technology in exchange for it separating civil and military atomic programmes and placing a majority of its reactors under international inspection.

The US-Indian deal still must be ratified by the US Congress and the 35-nation Nuclear Suppliers' Group (NSG), which oversees trade in atomic fuel and technology. UNI MSJ KP0903