US State Dept silent on Bush memorandum controversy on N-fuel
The US remained silent over the controversy in India triggered by President George W Bush's assertions that nuclear fuel supply assurances to New Delhi were only political commitments and not legally binding.
By PTI |
WASHINGTON: The US remained silent over the controversy in India triggered by President George W Bush's assertions that nuclear fuel supply assurances to New Delhi were only political commitments and not legally binding.
"It's a letter from the President to the Congress, I'll refer you over to the White House for an answer," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said on Friday when queried about Bush's communication to the US Congress on nuclear fuel supplies issue that has kicked up dust in India.
"...We've had good discussions with the Indian government on this matter, the 123 agreement, as well as a number of other issues. And we're going to be providing quite a bit of information there. We have to the US Congress. And there's going to be testimony during that process. I'll let that testimony and the information that we've provided the Congress speak for itself," McCormack maintained.
In his message transmitting the 123 agreement to the US Congress for its approval, Bush had said " In Article 5(6), the Agreement records certain political commitments concerning reliable supply of the nuclear fuel given to India. The agreement does not, however, transorm these political commitments into legally binding commitments because the Agreement, like other US agreements of its type, is intended as a framerwork agreement."
"If President Bush sends a letter, a cover letter on the deal, and says something, is that binding on the deal? Like, does it hold?" the spokesman was asked.
"It's all a matter of the public record," he replied. Asked if the administration had a target date for ratification of the nuclear deal, he said "we'd like it as soon as possible".
"It's a letter from the President to the Congress, I'll refer you over to the White House for an answer," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said on Friday when queried about Bush's communication to the US Congress on nuclear fuel supplies issue that has kicked up dust in India.
"...We've had good discussions with the Indian government on this matter, the 123 agreement, as well as a number of other issues. And we're going to be providing quite a bit of information there. We have to the US Congress. And there's going to be testimony during that process. I'll let that testimony and the information that we've provided the Congress speak for itself," McCormack maintained.
In his message transmitting the 123 agreement to the US Congress for its approval, Bush had said " In Article 5(6), the Agreement records certain political commitments concerning reliable supply of the nuclear fuel given to India. The agreement does not, however, transorm these political commitments into legally binding commitments because the Agreement, like other US agreements of its type, is intended as a framerwork agreement."
"If President Bush sends a letter, a cover letter on the deal, and says something, is that binding on the deal? Like, does it hold?" the spokesman was asked.
"It's all a matter of the public record," he replied. Asked if the administration had a target date for ratification of the nuclear deal, he said "we'd like it as soon as possible".
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