Rice applauds Indo-US nuclear deal

Washington, Oct 2 (UNI) Applauding the historic Indo-US nuclear deal, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice today said the agreement will help India to meet its growing energy requirments.

''I applaud Congressional approval last evening of the US-India Agreement for Cooperation Concerning Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy (123 Agreement),'' Ms Rice said in a statement here.

''The Initiative will help India's population of more than one billion to meet its rapidly increasing energy needs in an environmentally responsible way while reducing the growth of carbon emissions.'' She added that the agreement will bolster Indo-US relations and it was a recognition of India's emergence on the global stage.

Ms Rice hailed the Congress and the goverments of both countries for their efforts to ensure the success of the deal.

''This would not have been possible without strong bipartisan support and close cooperation from the Congress over the past three years,'' she remarked.

''We especially appreciate the support of the leadership of both parties to expedite approval of the initiative in recent weeks.'' ''We look forward to a new strategic partnership with India that will provide global leadership in the years ahead,'' she added.

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