Rice meets Pelosi, Berman to push ratification of N deal

Sridhar Krishnaswami

Washington, Sept 10 (PTI) In its bid to quicken the
process of Congressional nod for the Indo-US nuclear deal,
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has met two key Democrats
and powerful players -- Nancy Pelosi and Howard Berman --
discussing how they could help in the Congress ratifying the
123 agreement before the end of the session on September 26.

Rice met Pelosi, the powerful Speaker of the House of
Representatives, in which the two discussed the process for
considering the 123 accord once it has been submitted to the
Congress for ratification, Pelosi's spokesman Nadeam Elshami
said.

"The Speaker looks forward to reviewing the submission in
detail and consulting with Chairman Berman and members of the
leadership in determining the appropriate course of action,"
Elshami said.

The importance and urgency of the nuclear deal from the
perspective of the administration and Congress is reflected in
the fact that Pelosi, who had visited India in March, broke
away from a press conference with top Democratic Party leaders
saying that she had a meeting Rice on India.


Earlier, Rice met with Berman, a vocal critic of the
Indo-US nuclear deal, who is also the Chairman of the House
Foreign Affairs Committee.

Though Congressional aides described the Rice-Berman
meeting as a "private meeting," it was generally believed that
the top U.S. diplomat discussed the modalities of winning
Congressional approval for the nuclear deal in the 110th
Congress, technically due to end on September 26.

Berman had warned the U.S. Congress to not rush through
the 123 agreement with India until Bush Administration proved
that it did not cut any "side deals" at the N.S. meeting to
get the India-specific waiver.

Berman also said earlier this week he would not consider
any "expedited" timetable for considering the Indo-U.S.
agreement until the government provides him more information
about negotiations held at the N.S.G. in Vienna.

Rice's visit to Capitol Hill to meet Berman is an
indication that the Bush administration is going to leave no
stone unturned to get the landmark nuclear deal through this
session of the Congress as many powerful Democrats are against
the idea of convening a Lame Duck after Nov 4 and would like
to start with legislation afresh in the 111th Congress.

Meanwhile, the State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack
maintained that the administration is going to make a "full
court press" - a basketball phrase that has to do with
attacking the ball before it gets into court - efforts with
Congress and that Rice had spoken with a number of law makers
including Berman and Democratic Vice Presidential nominee
Senator Joseph Biden.

"We think there is a possibility of getting this passed
this year and we are going to do everything we possibly can,"
said McCormack.

"Whether it does or not, it's not going to be because of
lack of efforts" he said stressing the Secretary of State had
instructed aides to have the paperwork ready for the Hyde
Package in 24 hours to 48 hours.

Current law requires Congress to consider the nuclear
deal package for 30 continuous legislative days before voting
on it.

If no Lame Duck session is held after the November 4 US
Presidential elections, Congress would need to waive the
30-day requirement in order to be able to vote on the deal
before the last day of the congressional session, now set for
September 26.

McCormack said while the administration's focus is on
convincing lawmakers that the deal is in the interest of
America, the government believed the accord could be ratified
in the Congress. PTI SK