赖斯：美印不久将签署民用核协议

正在印度访问的美国国务卿赖斯说，美国和印度之间具有里程碑意义的民用核协定不久将签署。但是两国没有在赖斯访问期间签署这一协定。这个协定将结束执行了30年的不得与印度进行民用核贸易的禁令。

Secretary Rice said in New Delhi Saturday that the civil nuclear agreement between the two countries will be signed into law "very soon" by President Bush.

美国国务卿赖斯星期六在新德里说，两国之间的这项民用核协定“不久”将由布什总统签署成为法律。

The landmark deal received the approval of the U.S. Congress recently, paving the way for the two countries to finalize the agreement, and open up civil nuclear trade between them.

这一具有里程碑意义的协定最近得到美国国会批准，为两国最后敲定这一协定和开启两国之间的民用核贸易铺平了道路。

The pact was expected to be signed by the two countries during Secretary Rice's visit to the Indian capital, but that did not happen.

人们曾经预计两国会在赖斯访问印度首都期间签署这项协议，但是并没有实现。

Secretary Rice says administrative details remain to be resolved before the signing. But she called it "a done deal."

赖斯说，在签署协定之前，还有行政方面的细节需要解决。但是她说，协定“已经成定局”。

"It is a matter of signing that agreement, and so I don't anyone to think that we have open issues. We in fact don't have open issues. These are administrative matters of signing agreements," he said.

赖斯说：“现在只是签署的问题，所以我不想让人们认为我们还有没解决的问题。我们实际上没有尚待解决的问题。这些只是签署协定的行政方面的问题。”

After holding talks with her Indian counterpart, Pranab Mukherjee, Secretary Rice said the deal gives a new platform for cooperation in energy matters between the two countries.

赖斯在和印度外长会谈之后说，这项协定为两国在能源事务上合作提供了一个新的平台。

The nuclear deal will allow American companies to sell nuclear fuel, reactors and technology to India.

这项核协定允许美国公司向印度出售核燃料、核反应堆与核技术。

She also expressed optimism about future friendship between the two countries, saying the United States enjoys one of the "broadest relations" with India. She said the nuclear deal will trigger an expansion of their ties.

赖斯还对两国未来的友好关系表示乐观，她说，美国和印度之间存在一种“最广泛的关系”。她说，这项核协定将推动两国关系扩大。

Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee expressed satisfaction with the agreement, saying it will help the country's quest for development.

印度外长慕吉克对协定表示满意。他说，协定将帮助印度加快发展。

"It is this agreement which has opened the door for India for international nuclear commerce. What India and the United States are doing today has direct benefits to our people, and assist India's efforts to develop," he said.

慕吉克说：“这项协定开启了印度从事国际核商业的大门。印度和美国今天做的事情让我们的人民直接获益，而且有助于印度的发展工作。”

India and the United States first announced their intention to pursue nuclear cooperation in 2005. The pact went ahead despite strong political opposition in India. Communist parties and the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party say it will bring the country's foreign policy too much under American influence.

印度和美国2005年首次宣布进行核合作的意愿。尽管在印度政界的反对声浪很高，但是双方还是达成了协议。

India was banned from civil nuclear trade since 1974, when it first conducted nuclear tests. New Delhi has not signed the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty. Critics of the deal say giving India access to nuclear technology will undermine efforts to control the spread of nuclear weapons.