Indo-US nuke deal: Bush, aides meet lawmakers

Washington, June 27: US President George W Bush, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley and Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns met several Congressmen and Senators yesterday in a last-minute lobbying effort to impress upon them the importance of passing the legislation concerning civil nuclear deal with India.

The House International Relations Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee are taking up the mark-up hearing on the legislation today and tomorrow respectively.

In view of the summer vacation recess and the election year ahead in November, the President and his team want to ensure that nothing goes wrong in approving the nuke deal, which would enable India to get sensitive nuclear technology and equipment.

''President Bush considers the passage of the legislation concerning the nuclear deal a top priority and wants both Houses of Congress to act on it affirmatively,'' White House spokesman Tony Snow said.

UNI

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