Date:27/10/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/10/27/stories/2007102759100700.htm

National

No adverse impact of nuclear deal uncertainty: US trade body

Special Correspondent

JAIPUR: The US trade organisation, Asia Pacific Council of American Chambers of Commerce (APCAC), has ruled out any adverse impact of the Indo-US nuclear deal not coming through on the relationship between the two countries. Even the processes which led the two nations to the threshold of signing the agreement were major positive developments, it said.

As such, APCAC, which met for the first time in India here on Thursday to deliberate on issues “critical to improving bilateral economic relations” between the Asian region and the US, looked at India as a “great story”.

“I don’t see any link between the US doing business with India and the developments on the nuclear deal front. It is not going to affect bilateral trade in any manner except perhaps in the case of those dealing with the nuclear sector,” said APCAC chairman Landis Hicks talking to journalists here.

“Both the countries talking about an issue in such a professional and friendly way itself have contributed positively to the US-Indo relationship,” he observed.

“This is a long-term development. Both the countries now can look forward for a long time association,” said Mr. Hicks, on his first visit to the city. “India’s growth, especially in the IT sector, has been very impressive,” he added. Mr.Hicks said the US companies were comfortable in doing business with India though they found China still better.

“They feel India has great potential. The US businessmen count India among the top three countries in the world,” he observed. While China was No. One, India and Japan were competing with each other for the No. 2 position as a preferred destination for investment, he said.