'India welcomes US Senate vote for nuke deal'

New Delhi, Nov 17: India today welcomed the passage of the Bill on Indo-US civil nuclear deal by the US Senate, but reserved its ''conclusions'' till the final version of the US law on the issue is enacted some time next month.

''We must await the final version before drawing any conclusions on the legislation,'' External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said in a statement.

Welcoming the Senate's overwhelming support for the Bill, the Minister said, ''This, undoubtedly, reflects the very broad bipartisan support which this initiative enjoys.'' US President George Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice ''have worked personally to ensure the passage of the Bill and we express our sincere appreciation for their tireless efforts,'' he said.

India expected that the final version of the legislation, which would emerge after the Joint Conference of the House and Senate, ''should adhere as closely as possible to the understandings incorporated in the July 18, 2005 Indo-US Joint Statement and the March 2006 separation plan, so that full civil nuclear cooperation between India and the US becomes a reality and contributes to India's energy security,'' Mr Mukherjee said.

It was understood that ''as per present indications'' the Joint Conference would convene after the passage of the Bill, and the final version was likely to come up for a vote by both Houses when they reconvene after the Thanksgiving holidays, on December 4, he said.

India would await the final version before drawing its conclusions on the US law, he said.

UNI

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