US plays down Iran ship visits to India

[Judi Lynn]

US plays down Iran ship visits to India

Reuters
Posted online: Tuesday, April 04, 2006 at 0930 hours IST


Washington, April 4: The United States on Monday confirmed that two Iranian navy ships had visited Indian ports last month, but played down the contact, as the Bush administration struggles to win Congressional approval for a landmark Indo-US civilian nuclear energy deal.

President George W Bush is pushing for changes in US law and international regulations to allow nuclear technology sales for civilian energy purposes banned for 30 years because India developed and tested nuclear weapons and refuses to sign the nuclear non-proliferation Treaty.
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State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli said the ships visits were a "limited type of event, and doesn't suggest Indian training or Indian contribution to an Iranian military capabilities."

Defense News reported last week that while Bush was in New Delhi last month to sign the nuclear energy deal, two Iranian warships were in Kochi, headquarters of the Indian Navy's Southern Command.
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http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=65446