Indo-US joint statement

"Developments in the region, bilateral issues and the Indo-US joint statement (signed by India and the US during Singh's visit to Washington in July this year incorporating the nuclear deal) were reviewed during the ten-minute telephonic talk between Bush and Singh", the Indian Prime Minister's media advisor Sanjaya Baru said in a brief statement last night.

Bush's call to Singh came close on the heels of the US appreciating India's support to the European Union resolution at the International Atomic Energy Agency's meeting in Vienna last week on Iran's controversial nuclear programme.

The call came at a time when the Indian Prime Minister is under strong attack from his government's Leftist allies on India's vote against Iranian nuclear programme. The Left parties also demanded reversal of India's position on the IAEA Governing Board at its next meeting in Vienna in November this year.

Terming as "very significant" India's vote for the US-backed EU-troika (Germany, Britain and France) resolution at the IAEA meeting, American Under-Secretary of State Nicholas Burns had said in Washington that "we are very grateful for India's support and it is significant that India is now working very closely with the US and Europe to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power".

In July this year, the US agreed to supply nuclear fuel for India's atomic reactors in Tarapore in return for a series of commitments by India including placing civil nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards.

The telephone call from Bush to Singh came ahead of the expected meeting of Nuclear Suppliers' Group later this month as India's full integration with international nuclear regime is crucially dependent on the support of this Group.

The Indo-US joint working group headed by Indian Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran and the US under secretary of state is also to meet this month to discuss the issue of bilateral civil nuclear cooperation.