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Related: Bush on way to South Asia
NEW DELHI, Feb. 28 (Xinhuanet) -- U.S. President
George W. Bush's visit to India will have strong economic and trade content, but
the eye-catching nuclear deal are not ready despite considerable progress, said
Indian Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran here Tuesday.
The two sides both have "big
anticipation and expectation" over the visit and believed it will lead to a
further maturation and development of strategic partnership, Saran told the
press Tuesday.
India and the United States will talk about
cooperation in diverse fields, including trade and commerce, energy, agriculture
and science and technology with a strong economic and trade content, he said.
The CEOs forum, made up of ten U.S. and ten Indian
businessmen and officials, will meet and come out its recommendations to further
the economic and trade relations between the two countries, especially on the
two-way investment in infrastructure and high tech industry.
On response to the question about the ongoing talks
of civilian nuclear cooperation, Saran said, "We have managed to make
considerable progress. But we still have a short distance to cover. If
necessary, we will go on negotiating in the future."
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told the
Parliament on Monday that India will keep the indigenous fast breeder reactor
program out of international inspections, which is one of the key differences
between the two sides on the plan to separate India's civilian and military
nuclear facilities.
But the two countries will work on other aspects of
energy cooperation, Saran said, adding that important announcements for
enhancing cooperation in zero-emission coal-based thermal power plants and
non-conventional energy cooperation are likely to be made during Bush's visit.
India is also looking forwards to cooperation with
the United States in space sector, HIV and bird flu and national disaster
relief, he said.
Bush, accompanied by U.S. Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice, National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley, Trade Representative
RobPortman and other senior officials, will meet Singh and Sonia Gandhi, the
president of Congress Party, and visit Hyderabad, capital of south India's
Andhra Pradesh, meeting with farmers, agriculture experts and businessman of IT
industry. Enditem |