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US,
India Seal Nuke Deal, Protests Unabating
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"We concluded today an historic agreement on nuclear power ... it is a necessary agreement," Bush said. (Reuters)
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NEW
DELHI, March 2, 2006 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – The
United States and India on Thursday, March 2, sealed a nuclear deal as
thousands of Indians, mostly Muslims, are planning a second day of
protests against the visit of US President George W. Bush to the Asian
country.
"We
concluded today an historic agreement on nuclear power ... it is a
necessary agreement, it will help both our peoples," Bush told a
joint press conference with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,
reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).
"We
have made history today," said Singh.
"Now
it is for the US to go to Congress for the necessary amendments and it
will approach the Nuclear Suppplier Group," he added.
Under
the nuclear deal, Washington would share American nuclear know-how with
nuclear India.
The
deal, which capped months of negotiations, also commits Washington to
seek approval from the US Congress and countries of the Nuclear
Suppliers Group to lift restrictions on sharing civilian nuclear
technology with India.
The
Bush administration is spearheading international pressures on Iran to
give up its nuclear program on the ground of seeking to make weapons.
Iran
maintains that under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty every country
is entitled to use nuclear applications to produce power.
Bush
arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday, March 1, on a three-day visit to
India as part of a multi-leg regional tour that has already taken from
to Afghanistan.
He
was due to give his main address in the Indian capital on Friday, March
3, before leaving for Pakistan.
Protests
Tens
of thousands of Indians, mostly Muslims, were planning a second day of
protest against Bush's visit.
Hours
before Bush's arrival, about 100,000 protestors took to the streets,
burning an effigy of him, Reuters said.
"Go
back, Bush", "Bush is a killer", "Bully Bush, buzz
off", "Bush, stop the ambush", they shouted as hundreds
of policemen in riot gear kept watch.
"The
people of the country do not want this killer of innocent men, women and
children to come here," one man said.
About
25,000 protestors also took to the streets in the eastern city of
Kolkata to take part in a public meeting organized by the Committee
Against Bush Visit.
"Under
President Bush, the US continues to occupy Iraq and oppress its people.
It threatens Syria and has targeted Iran on the issue of its nuclear
program," the committee said in a statement.
"The
Indian government is shamefully succumbing to US imperialist
pressures," it said.
Surprise
Visit
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An Indian woman holds a placard during a protest against U.S. President Bush's visit to India. (Reuters)
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Before
arriving in India, Bush paid a surprise visit to Afghanistan, the first
since US-led troops invaded the country to topple the ruling Taliban
regime after the 9/11 attacks.
"It's
in our nation's interest that Afghanistan develops into a
democracy," he said following talks with President Hamid Karzai and
his US-backed government.
"It
is in the interests of the United States of America for there to be
examples around the world of what is possible," Bush maintained.
During
a ribbon cutting ceremony at the official opening of the new US embassy
in Kabul, Bush said Washington was there for the long haul.
"My
message to the people of Afghanistan is: take a look at this building --
it's a big, solid, permanent structure which should represent the
commitment of the United States of America."
There
is an 18,000-strong US-led force stationed in Afghanistan, along with
around 9,000 NATO-led peacekeepers.
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