Bush will sign nuclear deal soon: Rice

NEW DELHI: Asserting that that there are “no open issues” on the nuclear deal, the United States on Saturday said it will stand by its commitment s in the 123 agreement with India and the Hyde Act and that the Congressional legislation will be signed “very soon”.

“The President will sign the legislation (passed by the US Congress) very soon. He wants to do it very soon. There are administrative reasons,” US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told a press conference after talks with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

The bill once passed has to be transmitted to the White House. It has been a busy time for last several weeks, she said explaining the reasons for the delay in signing the legislation by Bush.
Rice’s visit coming shortly after the Congress approval of the legislation sparked speculation that the 123 would come up for signing with Mukherjee on Saturday. In fact, she had rescheduled the visit by a couple of days.

“The President is looking forward to signing it very soon. The Hyde Act is completely consistent with 123 agreement….123 agreement is consistent with the Hyde Act. The US will keep its commitments to both,” she said in reply to a question why there has been a delay and whether there were concerns on the Indian side.

“We don’t have open issues,” Rice said adding it was a matter of administrative and procedural details which would be worked out. In his reply Mukherjee said once the US President signs it into law and the process is complete “we will be in a position to sign the agreement on a mutually convenient date.”

“I hope it will be signed shortly.”

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