US legislation on civil N-cooperation in August

Kolkata, Jun 03: The civil nuclear deal signed between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and American President George Bush is expected to get passage for legislation in the US Congress by August.

''We hope to get the legislation moving and passed in two months,'' US Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Robert Blake said in a video conference during a panel discussion at the American Center here last evening.

Former West Bengal Chief Minister and Indian Ambassador to the US Siddhartha Shankar Ray and economist Abhirup Sarkar were the other panelists in the discussion, titled 'The historic visit of President George W. Bush, Jr to India : New directions in US-India relations.' Describing the nuclear deal as 'historic' and a departure from a long pursued US policy, Mr Blake said the American administration was at present working on it to pave way for a legislation.

Admitting that for the past 30 years the US had tried to hold back its nuclear technology, Mr Blake said America was worried about India becoming a strong nuclear power. That was why America had imposed nuclear sanctions on India, he said.

''But because of your brain power you have succeeded in becoming a nuclar power. So we have lifted all sanctions and signed the agreement which will enable the two countries to enter into a hi-tech nuclear trade,'' he said.

Explaining why the US was now in favour of a developed relationship with India, the envoy said it was because America was shifting its focus to Asia from Europe on the issues of democracy, terrorism, trafficking and economic cooperation.

There is no other ulterior motive in it, he said.

''Terrorism is a great issue and India, with its ability to hold together its wide ranging ethnic and linguistic population, can play an important role in the fight against terrorism. We can not solve this problem without winning the battle of ideas,'' he said.

India, also with its eight per cent economic growth, great workforce and a 600-million strong burgeoning middle class population emerged as a partner country of USA, Mr Blake said.

Earlier, stressing the need for strengthening the Indian trading service, Dr Abhirup Sarkar said this sector held immense opportunity for the country to make a dent in the US market.

If India strengthens its human capital for a more efficient service and opens up the windows, then we can penetrate the US market and compete with China, he said.

Dr Sarkar, however, cautioned that trading service was not able to meet the long-term economic end of the country and there was a need for improving technology for making stronger the manufacturing sector as well.

Observing that India and the US had been close for long, Mr Ray said both the countries were bound together historically, emotionally and socially.

UNI