'India's concerns on N-deal have been met'

Washington, Oct 9: India has said that its concerns on certain provisions of the bill have been met with President George W Bush"s assurance on fuel supplies and 'advanced consent' to it for reprocessing after the US President signed into law the legislation on the nuclear deal as a new beginning in bilateral ties.

“I think the statement (of Bush) speaks for itself... all concerns that have been expressed who fear the implications of certain elements of the legislation. All those have been met, said Indian Ambassador to US Ronen Sen in response to a query on fuel supply assurances asked by the mediapersons. Bush, while signing the HR 7081 bill into law on Wednesday, Oct 8 night, had said there were no changes in fuel supply commitments as provided in settlement.

There were fears that the legislation as approved by the congress may have a couple of riders regarding fuels supplies. “I am confident because we negotiated the 123 Agreement with great care and I was confident right from the beginning that many of concerns that had been expressed would be met like they have been in the past, the top Indian envoy said shortly after bush signed the nuclear deal bill into law," he said.

The top Indian diplomat was pressed on about the fear that Washington could approach others in the nuclear suppliers group to cut off fuel in the event of an atomic test by India.

“I think we can keep on having questions and discussions repeatedly. I feel we should be a little more confident of ourselves. We should have a little bit more self esteem and we should not always require these re-assurances. We should grow up... I feel this very strongly," Sen replied.

ANI