"The bill I sign today approves the 123 Agreement I submitted to Congress and establishes the legal framework for that agreement to come into effect, he said.

" By passing this legislation, my administration and Congress demonstrate our common view that nuclear cooperation is in the interests of both the United States and India."

" The legislation makes no changes to the terms of the 123 Agreement I submitted to Congress. It enables me to bring that agreement into force and to accept on behalf of the United States all the obligations that are part of the agreement," Bush said.

Bush paid glowing tributes to two members of Congress who were instrumental in seeing the agreement coming to a fruition-- the late Henry Hyde and the Late Tom Lantos.

In the distinuished gathering at the stage were the Vice President Dick Cheney,the Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice,the Energy Secretary Sam Bodman, Senators Chris Dodd and John Warner,Congressmen Joe Crowley and Elliot Engel and the Indian Ambassador to the US ,Ronen Sen.

"This agreement sends a signal to the world: Nations that follow the path to democracy and responsible behavior will find a friend in the United States of America" Bush said.

Earlier welcoming the gathering that included a large number of Indian American leaders who were instrumental in pushing the accord in the U.S.Congress Bush said that he has the "honor" of signing legislation "that builds on the growing ties between the world's two largest democracies, India and the United States".

... contd.