PM to meet US President Bush Jul 9 on sidelines of G-8 summit

[K.Karthik Raja]

PM to meet US President Bush Jul 9 on sidelines of G-8 summit
Friday Jul 4

NEW DELHI - Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will meet U.S. President
George
Bush on Wednesday on the sidelines of the Group of Eight summit in
Tokyo,
Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon today said.
Singh, who leaves for Tokyo on Monday, would also meet head of
governments
from the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers' Group.
"The prime minister will be meeting US President on Jul 9," Menon
told
reporters.
Asked if the prime minister would meet other nation heads, Menon
said, "I
think he will be meeting them as most of them (heads of government)
are from
countries who members of the Nuclear Suppliers' Group."
On the status of the safeguards agreement, regarding the U.S.
nuclear
deal, pending approval of the International Atomic Energy Agency,
Menon said,
"We will approach IAEA once we get the clearance."
He, however, ruled out if any timeframe had been set in that
regard.
After getting the approval of the IAEA, the India-U.S. nuclear
deal will
also have to get the stamp of support from the NSG before being taken
up for
consideration by the U.S. Congress for final sealing.
Singh's meeting with Bush assumes significance, as it is likely to
be the
last one during their respective tenures. Besides, the focus of the
talks is
expected to rally around the civilian nuclear cooperation agreement.
Both leaders have been trying to ensure the deal is sealed before
their
terms in office end.
While the U.S. presidential elections are due in November and the
new
president assumes office in January, the Manmohan Singh-led United
Progressive
Alliance government completes its term in May. End
.

[K.Karthik Raja]

PM to meet US President Bush Jul 9 on sidelines of G-8 summit
Friday Jul 4

.