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Manmohan, Musharraf express cautious optimism Pakistan’s President Gen Pervez Musharraf gestures upon his arrival at Jose Marti Airport in Havana on Thursday. —
AP/PTI
Bush Admin expects ‘strong bilateral vote’ on N-deal
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Scientists watch vegetables grow in space
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Manmohan, Musharraf express cautious optimism
Havana, September 15 Expecting “substantive and meaningful” discussions with the Indian leader, General Musharraf voiced the hope that it would carry the peace process forward. Peace and harmony between the two neighbours was essential for their economic growth, he told reporters here. Dr Singh, on his part, said that he looked forward to the meeting with the Pakistani leader on the sidelines of the NAM summit. “We will discuss several issues in the limited time that we have at our disposal,” he told Indian reporters accompanying him. The Prime Minister refused to engage in “any public discussion” with the General who had said in Brussels two days ago that it was time for India to make concessions on Kashmir. “All issues relating to the control of terrorism will figure in our discussions.....I will have limited time and President Musharraf also will have limited time. So, I don’t promise that I am going to discuss each and every problem around,” Dr Singh said. Asked about the possibility of a joint statement at the end of their talks, the Prime Minister said “this is too early to say. As I said it is a meeting on the sidelines of the NAM conference. We will see how discussions proceed.” Is a joint statement ruled out, he was asked specifically. “Nothing is ruled out, nothing is ruled in either,” Dr Singh shot back. To a question about fears of nuclear facilities in Pakistan getting into the hands of extremist elements, he said both the countries were conscious of their obligations with regard to safeguarding nuclear plants and there was obligation to work together. “We are conscious of our responsibilities on safeguarding our sensitive installations and I believe there are also arrangements (under which) India and Pakistan exchange data about their nuclear installations. Therefore, we both recognise that this is a sensitive matter and there is an obligation to work together,” he said. Dr Singh and General Musharraf have met thrice in the last two years— twice in New York and once in New Delhi. — PTI
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Bush Admin expects ‘strong bilateral vote’ on N-deal
The Bush Administration hopes to get a “strong bilateral vote” from the Senate this month in support of a Bill that would enable civilian nuclear cooperation with India, a senior US official said on Thursday.
Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher, however, admitted that the Senate had a “very crowded calendar” for the few days left before its session ends. October 6 has been set as a target adjournment date for the chamber. According to congressional sources, no date has yet been finalised for the Senate to take up the nuclear cooperation Bill. This is unlikely to be a priority for the chamber in which Republicans are fighting to maintain their majority in the November elections. Lawmakers, mindful of the fact that foreign policy issues are not a priority for American voters, will likely focus on domestic issues in an attempt to win crucial support. The civil nuclear agreement is a big deal, Mr Boucher said at the Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies in Washington. The effort to reach this agreement goes back to previous administrations in both India and the United States, he added. Besides the US Congress, the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) must also approve the nuclear agreement. Mr Boucher noted India always viewed the NSG “as perpetrators of nuclear apartheid”. The Indian government is now trying to explain the deal to the group, he said referring to meetings in Brazil this week between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the leaders of Brazil and South Africa — two key members of the NSG. Brazil currently chairs the group. The US has been talking to many NSG members and answering their questions, Mr Boucher said, adding, “A lot of legitimate questions are being asked. But we believe we and the Indians have the answers”. He said US officials would be taking up the matter during the NSG meeting in Vienna in October and hoped Indian officials would do so too.
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Scientists watch vegetables grow in space
Beijing, September 15 The seed-breeding satellite, “Shijian-8”, has been sending back one high-definition digital image of sprouting Chinese cabbage every two hours since September 10, scientists with the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) said here today. The slow motion photography will continue throughout satellite's 15-day space flight, according to the Institute of Plant Physiology & Ecology (SIPPE) with CAS's Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences which is conducting the experiment. This is the first space experiment conducted by China on higher plants.
— PTI
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Havana, September 15
In video: PM gearing up to
discuss issues with Musharraf. (
