http://www.hindu.com/2006/03/05/stories/2006030504380800.htmNew Delhi: Giving an account of how this week's nuclear agreement between India and the United States remained touch and go till the last minute, authoritative sources said here on Saturday that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and U.S. President George W. Bush held most of their one-on-one meeting without knowing whether their negotiators had actually managed to strike a deal.
It was only when Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice entered the meeting room at Hyderabad House that the two leaders learned the final hurdle had been crossed, the sources said.
In the meantime, the freewheeling discussion between them had seen Dr. Singh gently advising Mr. Bush not to be too zealous in his crusade for "democracy" worldwide: "As an older man to a younger one, let me say that one should not expect all societies to be transformed overnight mechanically," Dr. Singh cautioned his guest.
Describing Mr. Bush as "an uncomplicated man", the sources said it was only because he had sent a clear signal to his negotiating team that the nuclear agreement was clinched. "Quite honestly, we never believed the U.S. would agree to us keeping 35 per cent of our capacity outside of safeguards."