By Smita Prakash
Moscow, Nov 13, 2007 (ANI)
Russian President Vladimir Putin is a man of few
words. He isn't given to effusive sentimentality. He was very
comfortable during his two-hour-long meeting with Indian Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh, who like his host, has a sphinx like exterior
but packs a deadly punch when needed.
Remember his "so be it"?
And so, while the Indian media and foreign office gushed about the
Indo-US nuclear accord for the better part of two years, Putin waited
andatched. And then delivered the 'solar plexus' blow yesterday when
he pointedly remarked on Russia being a reliable partner for India,
, just in case the world's most populous country and chaotic democracy
forgot how Russia has stood by it through the Pakistan wars and Kashmir
and Punjab secessionist movements and provided fuel for Tarapore.
The question put to the Indian Prime Minister was whether there was
any further movement on Russia building four additional nuclear
reactors in Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu.
Manmohan Singh said "India and Russia enjoy extensive cooperation in
the peaceful usage of atomic energy and have done so for many years.
Russia is building two nuclear power reactors in Kundankulam in Tamil
Nadu and has supplied fuel for the Tarapore nuclear power station. When
President Putin visited India in 2007 we signed a memorandum of intent
for the construction of four additional nuclear power reactors at
Kundankulam and intergovernmental agreement to that work is in
progress,"
For all practical purposes the question was answered but then the
black belt Putin chipped in..."I could only add that Russia has always
been a reliable partner to India -and now India partners(knows?)-now
that they confirmed that in the course of today's discussion we
necessarily discussed this subject matter as well."
Whether the punch of his statement was lost in translation or
deliberately so is any one's guess, but the fact remains that Putin
was accommodating and understanding.
Officials say that when the Indian Prime Minister explained to him
that due to non-completion of "certain internal processes", India
can not go to the IAEA, President Putin "did not demur...did not
hesitate" in saying that he understood India's compulsions.
Now, here is a leader of a country, which has embraced democracy just
recently. He displayed not irritation about the pulls and pressures of
parliamentary democracies. Contrast this reaction with the reaction
from the 'world's greatest (?) democracy'. The reaction from there was
churlish at best.
Moscow, Nov 13, 2007 (ANI)
Russian President Vladimir Putin is a man of few
words. He isn't given to effusive sentimentality. He was very
comfortable during his two-hour-long meeting with Indian Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh, who like his host, has a sphinx like exterior
but packs a deadly punch when needed.
Remember his "so be it"?
And so, while the Indian media and foreign office gushed about the
Indo-US nuclear accord for the better part of two years, Putin waited
andatched. And then delivered the 'solar plexus' blow yesterday when
he pointedly remarked on Russia being a reliable partner for India,
, just in case the world's most populous country and chaotic democracy
forgot how Russia has stood by it through the Pakistan wars and Kashmir
and Punjab secessionist movements and provided fuel for Tarapore.
The question put to the Indian Prime Minister was whether there was
any further movement on Russia building four additional nuclear
reactors in Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu.
Manmohan Singh said "India and Russia enjoy extensive cooperation in
the peaceful usage of atomic energy and have done so for many years.
Russia is building two nuclear power reactors in Kundankulam in Tamil
Nadu and has supplied fuel for the Tarapore nuclear power station. When
President Putin visited India in 2007 we signed a memorandum of intent
for the construction of four additional nuclear power reactors at
Kundankulam and intergovernmental agreement to that work is in
progress,"
For all practical purposes the question was answered but then the
black belt Putin chipped in..."I could only add that Russia has always
been a reliable partner to India -and now India partners(knows?)-now
that they confirmed that in the course of today's discussion we
necessarily discussed this subject matter as well."
Whether the punch of his statement was lost in translation or
deliberately so is any one's guess, but the fact remains that Putin
was accommodating and understanding.
Officials say that when the Indian Prime Minister explained to him
that due to non-completion of "certain internal processes", India
can not go to the IAEA, President Putin "did not demur...did not
hesitate" in saying that he understood India's compulsions.
Now, here is a leader of a country, which has embraced democracy just
recently. He displayed not irritation about the pulls and pressures of
parliamentary democracies. Contrast this reaction with the reaction
from the 'world's greatest (?) democracy'. The reaction from there was
churlish at best.
Putin has fast emerged as a leader of a nation that has eschewed
democracy, renounced Communist ideology, integrated with the rest of the
world, opened its markets to foreign investors and castigated the US
on international politics.
When he remits office next year, India will be sorry to lose a
supporter who has had the maturity to wait and watch and the temerityto rap the knuckles when needed.
democracy, renounced Communist ideology, integrated with the rest of the
world, opened its markets to foreign investors and castigated the US
on international politics.
When he remits office next year, India will be sorry to lose a
supporter who has had the maturity to wait and watch and the temerityto rap the knuckles when needed.
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