Close on the heels of the United States appreciating India's support to the International Atomic Energy Agency resolution against Iran's controversial nuclear programme, President George W Bush Friday spoke to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and reviewed bilateral relations covering the path-breaking nuclear deal between the two countries.
During the 10-minute telephonic conversation initiated by the US side, the two leaders "reviewed the implementation of the July 18 Indo-US joint statement and other bilateral issues and touched on developments in the region", the prime minister's media adviser Sanjay Barua said in a brief statement.
Washington has termed as "very significant" India's vote in favour of the US-backed EU-3 (Britain, Germany and France) resolution at the IAEA.
"We are very grateful for India's support and it's significant that India is now working very closely with the United States and Europe to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power," Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns had said in Washington.
Bush's telephonic conversation comes within two weeks of his meeting with Dr Singh in New York on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly and their historic summit in Washington in July 2005.
In the joint statement issued after their July meeting, the US had recognised India as a responsible state with advanced nuclear technology and agreed to supply nuclear fuel for Tarapore reactors following a series of commitments by India, including voluntarily placing its civil nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards.
