TOYAKO, Japan, July 8, 2008

Bush Pushes U.S.-India Nuclear Deal

President Defends Deal To Sell India Nuclear Fuel, Technology Despite Heavy Opposition On Both Sides

  • U.S. President George W. Bush, left, is greeted by Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda upon arrival for the G-8 working lunch at the lakeside resort Toyako on the Japanese northern main island of Hokkaido Monday, July 7, 2008. Photo

    U.S. President George W. Bush, left, is greeted by Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda upon arrival for the G-8 working lunch at the lakeside resort Toyako on the Japanese northern main island of Hokkaido Monday, July 7, 2008.  (AP Photo/Koichi Kamoshida, POOL)

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(AP)  President Bush defended a languishing deal his administration negotiated to sell India nuclear fuel and technology, saying he reassured India's prime minister that the pact was important for both countries despite heavy opposition on both sides.

Bush's meeting on Wednesday with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was one of a series of one-and-one sessions the president scheduled on the final day of the three-day G-8 summit of economic powers.

"I respect the prime minister a lot," Bush said, speaking with reporters after their meeting. "I also respect India a lot. And I think it's very important that the United States continues to work with our friend to develop not only a new strategic relationship, but a relationship that addresses some of the world's problems. We talked about the India-U.S. nuclear deal - how important that is for our respective countries."

Singh said, "In this increasingly interdependent world that we live in, whether it is the question of climate change or whether it is a question of managing the global economy, India and the United States must stand tall, must stand shoulder to shoulder."

If ratified by Washington and New Delhi, the pact would reverse three decades of U.S. policy by allowing the sale of atomic fuel and technology to India, which has not signed international nonproliferation accords but has tested nuclear weapons. In return, India, would open its civilian reactors to international inspections.

U.S. critics worry the agreement could spark a nuclear arms race in Asia and weaken international efforts to prevent states like Iran and North Korea from acquiring nuclear weapons.

In India, critics say it would undermine India's weapons program and give Washington too much influence over Indian foreign policy.

Singh's communist allies withdrew their support for his four-year-old coalition government on Tuesday to protest the government's plan to push forward with the nuclear deal.

Bush is trying to prod Congress to approve the pact before time runs out on his administration in January.

Before returning home late in the day, Bush was also meeting separately with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Chinese President Hu Jintao and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak.

Many South Koreans have protested the recent resumption of U.S. beef imports. Both China and South Korea are important players in the international effort to get North Korea to scale back its nuclear weapons program.



© MMVIII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Add a Comment See all 15 Comments
by nssherlock1 July 8, 2008 11:51 PM PDT
Bush needs to **** and go back to Crawford and stay there. We will call him when its time for the War Crimes Trial.
Reply to this comment
by waqahi July 9, 2008 12:00 AM PDT
*** In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. ***
Those who disbelieved from among the followers of the Book and the polytheists could not have separated (from the faithful) until there had come to them the clear evidence: ***

A messenger from Allah, rehearsing scriptures kept pure and holy: ***

Wherein are laws (or decrees) right and straight. ***

Nor did the People of the Book make schisms, until after there came to them Clear Evidence. ***

And they were not enjoined anything except that they should serve Allah, being sincere to Him in obedience, upright, and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, and that is the right religion. ***

Surely those who disbelieve from among the followers of the Book and the polytheists shall be in the fire of hell, abiding therein; they are the worst of men. ***

(And) lo! Those who believe and do good works are the best of created beings. ***

Their reward with their Lord is gardens of perpetuity beneath which rivers flow, abiding therein for ever; Allah is well pleased with them and they are well pleased with Him; that is for him who fears his Lord. *** *********

QURAN: AL-BAYYINA (THE CLEAR PROOF, EVIDENCE) 098.001 - 098.008
Reply to this comment
by lemonskink July 9, 2008 12:56 AM PDT
Bush is insane.
Reply to this comment
by sistatee-2009 July 9, 2008 1:12 AM PDT
The guy looks like a sub-prime minister to me.
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by nssherlock1 July 9, 2008 2:06 AM PDT
waqahi

Allah and Mohammed were fairytales for the dumbest and ugliest people on the planet!
Reply to this comment
by stn_sage July 9, 2008 2:25 AM PDT
This deal is a bad idea---so, ob course Bush is for it!

The major question is: whether or not Congress is stupid enough to agree to it?! And, let Bush have this before his term expires.

Personally, I believe they are stupid enough to do this! They''ve proved it many times the last year and one-half. Most recently, by giving immunity to companies that have broken the law to illegally spy on Americans.

And they appointed Mukasey at Justice Dept. who''s obstructing justice. And they''ve failed to cite him for contempt. And they''ve failed to stop the war by de-funding it. And on and on.

Yeah, they''re plenty stupid enough alright!
Reply to this comment
by floydzepp2 July 9, 2008 5:11 AM PDT
Why is it Bush and the Shrub lovers are all happy to give away things to everybody else but fellow Americans? Its like Republicans HATE their own, fellow citizens.
Reply to this comment
by n8yvn29 July 9, 2008 5:20 AM PDT
Here we go again: Fratboy making the world a more dangerous place. When are we going to say enough and impeach and imprison this boy?
Reply to this comment
by corey2444 July 9, 2008 5:28 AM PDT
Why is it Bush and the Shrub lovers are all happy to give away things to everybody else but fellow Americans? Its like Republicans HATE their own, fellow citizens.


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Posted by FloydZepp2 at 05:11 AM : Jul 09, 2008

Where does it say we''re giving them anything? I read the "sale" not "gift"
Reply to this comment
by mcvet July 9, 2008 6:55 AM PDT
Where does it say we''''re giving them anything? I read the "sale" not "gift"

Posted by Corey2444 at 05:28 AM :

Oh I think MOST American''s have seen enough of the Republican Party and their trade deals to know what GIVING AWAY means Sparky... I guess to you greedy folk who want to "Stay the Course" that doesn''t matter though huh?? Ready? Let''s let everyone know you freaks LOVE your Party and to HELLL with the Country!! SIEG HEIL BUSH
Reply to this comment
by floydzepp2 July 9, 2008 7:19 AM PDT
Where does it say we''''re giving them anything? I read the "sale" not "gift"


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Posted by Corey2444 at 05:28 AM : Jul 09, 2008
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I see, so you support selling nuclear technology to a terrorist state on the verge of warefare with Pakistan. What a hoot the hypocritical NASCAR Bumpkins are.
Reply to this comment
by six-6-seis July 9, 2008 8:47 AM PDT
India poses no threat to the occupiers of Palestine,
itll go through.
Reply to this comment
by antoniof123 July 9, 2008 8:47 AM PDT
President Bush defended a languishing deal his administration negotiated to sell India nuclear fuel and technology, saying he reassured India''s prime minister that the pact was important for both countries despite heavy opposition on both sides.

Notice the word despite heavy opposition, should tell you something about morons that are running these two countries.
Reply to this comment
by darnedsocks July 9, 2008 12:22 PM PDT
BUSH OUGHT TO BE PROMOTING A CONDOM DEAL! INDIA IS WAAAAAAAAAAY OVERPOPULATED!
Reply to this comment
by acjessie July 10, 2008 5:14 AM PDT
He did his time. He didn''t make a big issue on it. Lots of my friends on ~~~ Mixedmate.com~~~ love him and said he did what he should do.
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