Text 2197, 188 rader
Skriven 2006-02-24 23:33:22 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0602245) for Fri, 2006 Feb 24
====================================================
===========================================================================
Interview of the President by Doordarshan, India
===========================================================================

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
February 24, 2006

Interview of the President by Doordarshan, India
The Map Room



11:18 A.M. EST

Q Well, Mr. President, how is your strategy partnership with India is going
to shape up during the forthcoming visit?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, first of all, our strategic partnership had a great
start, or a great impetus, when your Prime Minister came to visit here in
Washington. We had a wonderful visit. And one of the important things about
diplomacy is to get to know your counterpart. And I got to know the Prime
Minister and admire him as really a decent fellow who is smart and capable.

And this visit will help foster not only the personal relationship, though,
but a strategic partnership that is growing all the time. And it's one that
is very important for the American people, and I think the people of India.
This relationship between the United States and India can produce good
results for our people, but also will enable us to achieve some
international objectives, as well.

Q Well, in the context of excellent bilateral relations, which you have
just mentioned, I think, what's your take on the civilian nuclear program?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, it's a tough issue. It's a tough issue for the Prime
Minister, I understand that, and it's a tough issue for me. I knew it was
going to be a hard issue, because we have to convince -- both of us have to
convince our respective people it's in the interest to have a civilian
nuclear program supported by the United States and India, as well as a
civilian nuclear program that's separate from a military program in India.

And I understood the politics was going to be difficult, and there's still
work to be done. We've just got to continue to come up with an agreement
that both of us can live with. But the relationship is broader than just
the civilian nuclear issue. I've told the American people we want India to
develop a civilian nuclear power program. We're all kind of connected
globally, particularly when it comes to the price of energy. And the more
nuclear power used by great emerging democracies and economies like India,
the better off we'll all be.

Q Well, there's an impression, as reflected in the U.S. media, that you are
surrendering your interests while proposing to supply civilian nuclear
technology to India. What do you tell them?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, I tell them it's in the interests of the world that
India have a nuclear power industry. On the other hand, it's also very
important for India to understand our concerns about making sure that
there's a -- that a civilian program is separate from the military, and
there's the IAEA safeguards. And again, we're breaking some new ground. I'm
not surprised that it's difficult to reach a consensus. And we'll keep
trying and working at it.

The key thing is, though, that the people of India understand that our
relationship is a vital relationship. And it's vital on a variety of
fronts. It's vital when it comes to commerce and trade and prosperity, it's
vital on fighting the war on terror. I mean, the people of India know what
terror is all about -- you've been hit before. And it's vital on working
together to achieve a more peaceful world. And so I'm really looking
forward to this trip. It's going to be exciting for us.

Q I think the -- terrorism is one area a joint working group has been
working excellently, even before the unfortunate incident of 9/11, between
India and U.S. But the terrorist training camps and training infrastructure
in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, has not been totally dismantled. How about a
-- and from the Pak-Afghan border, sir, also, troops are being -- your
troops are being targeted. So how --

THE PRESIDENT: Well, listen, I understand the war on terror is universal,
and it's very important for all of us to work together to stop the advance
and the goals of these terrorists. And you bring up Pakistan -- it's an
interesting moment in our relationships with each other. It used to be that
if America were close to Pakistan, then the Indian government --

Q Yes, that zero-sum game, that is over.

THE PRESIDENT: It was zero sum. And now I think President Musharraf
understands that it's important for me to have a good relationship with
India, and vice versa. Prime Minister Singh understands. And we do have a
good relationship with both. But on my trip to Pakistan, I will, of course,
talk about the terrorist activities, the need to dismantle terrorist
training camps, and to protect innocent life, because one of the real
dangers of the terrorist movement is that they'll kill innocent people to
achieve an objective. And India and President Musharraf, as well as our
country, cares deeply about innocent life. We respect human life.

Q Now about trade and commerce, which we are mentioning. Well, in your Asia
Society speech -- I attended, I heard it, was a spectacular speech you
made.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.

Q So you talked about this Indian middle class, the 300 million, which is
bigger than U.S.

THE PRESIDENT: It is.

Q Growing, emerging market and all that. But still India right now
contributes only 1.3 percent of your global export.

THE PRESIDENT: Right.

Q So what's the road map?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, the road map is to continue to work for openness,
opening markets on both sides. Listen, trade, again, this is an issue that
takes time to develop. Our relationship is a growing relationship, and
we're constantly addressing needs to make sure that markets are open. We
are going to have a business CEO forum with India CEOs and American CEOs
that will brief us on what more we can do together.

And we're democracies. I mean, India is a great democracy. And democracies,
there's constant pressure against certain advances. People have their
opinion, and people are allowed to express their opinion. And opening
markets is difficult. It's difficult for a lot of countries, and it's not
easy for America, either. But the purpose of the trip is to continue to
work to open up markets, because opening markets and free trade that's fair
trade will benefit workers and families on both sides of the trading
equation.

Q Well, military-to-military relationship is again another success story,
new heights. It is every day it is reaching new heights.

THE PRESIDENT: Yes.

Q Marrying of technologies and understanding each other. And what about the
same kind of cooperation in the field of defense industry?

THE PRESIDENT: In what now?

Q In defense industry, joint production with India, America, technology
transfer.

THE PRESIDENT: Well, as you know, there's a lot of technology transfer. And
I quoted the example of Texas Instruments having a plant in India's silicon
valley, a research center. And that's a classic case of technological
transfer. Knowledge is technology, is the advancement of technology. And
listen, this country has greatly benefited by Indian Americans, and Indians
that have -- with advanced degrees and degrees that have -- unbelievably
smart, engineering and different aspects of science and technology. And we
welcome the presence of Indian students here in America, as well as the
great contribution of our Indian Americans.

But technology transfers oftentimes require knowledge transfers, and one of
the things about the relationship that has emerged is the fact there's a
lot of knowledge transfer between private sectors and through research
institutions, and that's positive.

Q Well, the last question. This is your first visit to India.

THE PRESIDENT: It is.

Q While preparing to visit India, and political negotiations, have you
discussed with Mrs. Bush how to negotiate hot Indian curry? (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT: Well, I'm going to have to -- I'll have to try that on. I'll
tell you afterwards. My one regret is that I'm not going to go see the Taj
Mahal. And that's not the fault of the Indian government, that's the fault
of the George W. Bush schedulers. And obviously, it goes to show sometimes
the President doesn't get all his wishes.

But I am really looking forward to going to the country. I am looking
forward to meeting members of the government. I'm looking forward to having
private time with the Prime Minister. And I know Laura joins me in telling
the Indian people thanks for friendship, and we can't wait to come to your
country.

Q Thank you very much. And welcome to India, you and Mrs. Bush. And I think
there will be many more visits after this.

THE PRESIDENT: I hope so. Thank you, sir.

END 11:28 A.M. EST

===========================================================================
Return to this article at:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/02/20060224-5.html

 * Origin: (1:3634/12)