Welcoming the Senate passage of the Indo-US nuclear agreement, the Republican White House nominee John McCain has said the accord would allow the two countries to take maximum advantage of new technologies in curbing the emission of greenhouse gases.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Senator McCain congratulated the House for the smooth passage of the historic legislation by a thumping 86 to 13 margin.
"Yesterday, the US Congress passed legislation clearing the way for the US-India civil-nuclear agreement to come into force. Governor Palin and I congratulate the Congress on moving this important legislation forward," he said in the statement.
"The agreement will also allow the US and India to cooperate in taking maximum advantage of new technologies that can provide energy without relying on greenhouse gas-emitting fossil fuels," it said.
Terming India as a responsible democracy, McCain said the agreement allows the country to become further integrated into the global effort to control proliferation of dangerous technologies.
"Our friendship with India is rooted in the norms and values we hold in common with the great democracies of Asia," the statement said.
Hailing Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's call for liberal democracy, McCain said this approach toward democracy as "the natural order of social and political organisation in today's world."
"When Governor Palin met with Prime Minister Singh in New York last week, they once again reaffirmed the shared values that are the bedrock for the prosperity and stability we all desire. They also stressed their commitment to moving forward on the civil nuclear accord as part of a deepening of our relations" the Arizona Republican added.
Taking a shot at his Democratic rival Barack Obama for trying to bring in killer amendments at the time of the Hyde Act passage in 2006, McCain said Obama's own running mate Joe Biden described one of the provisions Senator Obama voted for as a 'deal breaker.'
"During the Senate's previous consideration of this important legislation, Senator Obama supported efforts that would have killed this accord. His own running mate Senator Joe Biden, described one of the provisions Senator Obama voted for as a 'deal breaker.' We took a different approach: I wanted to make the deal, not break it, and I have supported the US-India civil nuclear accord from the beginning. Accordingly, yesterday's Congressional action is welcome," Senator McCain said.
