New Delhi
Democratic Senator Joe Liebermann Sunday expressed confidence that
the India-US civil nuclear deal will go through Congress even as he
pointed out that New Delhi's ties with Tehran would come up for
debate.
"The views here are not different from those in Washington and after
debate and some dissent, ultimately the agreement would be confirmed
by both countries because it is clearly in their interest," said the
senator who arrived here Friday with his wife Hadassah on a
three-day visit.
His views are significant as the Democrats currently control the US
Congress that has to pass with an up-down vote the just concluded
123 agreement on making the India-US nuclear deal operational.
Liebermann said the nuclear deal would lead to a strategic
partnership between the world's two largest democracies that will
have very important impact on economic, educational, diplomatic and
national security of both countries.
Liebermann, the Democratic candidate for vice president in 2000,
also met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Leader of Opposition L.K.
Advani of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
He said Manmohan Singh told him that "the sky was the limit" for
relations between the two countries once the agreement comes into
force.
"I share this optimism of his as this would bring the world's two
largest democracies into forming a strategic partnership," he told
reporters.
The senator underlined that the issues that would be "most actively
debated" in Congress include reprocessing rights, consequences of
India's possible nuclear test, specifics of India's safeguards and
India's relations with Iran.
Asked whether there would be pressure on India vis-à-vis its
relations with Iran, he said he did not think so.
"I don't think so though in the Congressional debate on the nuclear
agreement, this matter will be discussed.
"No one can reasonably or fairly ask India to disengage from Iran no
matter how negatively we feel about the government, because, in
fairness, some of our close allies too have diplomatic relations
with Iran."
He, however, felt that India could use its good relations with Iran
"to ensure that it stops training Iraqis and sending them across to
kill American soldiers in Iraq".
"India in its commercial relations with Iran does not go against the
American sanctions on that country," he said.
To a question whether the nuclear deal was linked with India's
forthcoming purchase of 126 fighter aircraft, he said: "I hope that
India purchases aircraft from US companies (but) it is a separate
question. It is for the ministry of defence of India to decide on
the purchase of these aircraft."
Asked to elaborate on his meeting with Advani, he said: "It was a
positive meeting and I have high regard for Advani. However, I leave
it to Advani to put across his party's views (on the nuclear deal)."
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