Twenty two years ago, it was President Carter

First, Mr Carter reacted very warmly to the rousing welcome he received inthe afternoon and said: “I know I will feel at home here because of themany things the two countries have in common.”…

US eager to improve ties, says Carter
NEW DELHI, January 2: The United States President, Mr Jimmy Carter,today affirmed America’s eagerness to maintain and improve political andeconomic ties with India.

Addressing a joint session of the two Houses of Parliament in the CentralHall, Mr Carter spoke of the possibility of increasing Indo-Americancooperation, especially in the fields of agriculture, energy and trade. Heoffered his country’s support in undertaking a study of water development inthe India-Bangladesh region.

Later welcoming Mr Carter to the citadel of Indian democracy, Prime MinisterMr Morarji Desai was optimistic that India and the US will be able toestablish a relaxed and confident relationship despite differences thatmight crop up from time to time….

“We need to identify more areas where we can work together for mutualbenefit, and indeed for the whole world,” Mr Carter said. He complimentedthe “creative direction the Indian Government has charted in its neweconomic statement. India had committed itself unequivocally to ruraldevelopment and the creation of rural employment. This policy now faces thetest of implementation and especially the test of bringing its benefits tothe poorest sections of the rural population. But the seriousness anddetermination of your commitment is cause for optimism.”

He endorsed India’s development priorities and recognised the need fororderly economic growth to meet the people’s basic needs. He thought thatAmerican business perhaps can be involved in a bigger way in India’scommercial and economic life.

Mr Carter paid glowing tributes to the way the Indian economy had grown intoa major industrial power. In a single generation, India had madeextraordinary progress and its economy is now ranked the 19th largest in theworld. India was virtually self-sufficient in consumer goods and a widevariety of iron and steel products. Production had notably increased inevery important industrial sector.

This kind of growth made it doubly important to try to reduce trade barriersand promote both bilateral trade and mutual responsibility for the worldtrading system….

Nuclear fuel supply uncertain
NEW DELHI, January 2: While India will get the second shipment ofenriched uranium for the Tarapur atomic power plant, future supplies of thecrucial fuel remain uncertain.

This became evident after the 90-minute talks between the US President, MrJimmy Carter, and the Prime Minister, Mr Morarji Desai.

Mr Carter informed Mr Desai that he had recommended to the US NuclearRegulatory Commission to clear India’s application for the second shipmentof 7.6 tonnes of fuel. However, he told Mr Desai that future supplies wouldbe conditional on the additional “safeguards” being stipulated in the newUS legislation on the anvil which would reduce the export of nuclear fuel toother countries….

Excerpted from The Indian Express’ archives