WASHINGTON, Feb 18: Defending his decision to offer nuclear cooperation to India, US President George W Bush said on Saturday that the US and other nuclear powers could provide reactors and lend nuclear fuel to other developing nations as well.

In his weekly radio address to his nation, Mr Bush said he envisions a system where the US and other countries such as Russia, Britain and France would provide reactors and lend nuclear fuel to developing nations. Used fuel would be returned and recycled.

“This will allow us to produce more energy while dramatically reducing the amount of nuclear waste and eliminating the nuclear by-products that unstable regimes and terrorists could use to make weapons,” Mr Bush said.

Mr Bush’s new approach to offering nuclear cooperation to developing nations is closer to Pakistan’s position on this issue. During his visit to Washington, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz told US leaders that instead of confining its offer of nuclear cooperation to India, the US should also help other developing nations use nuclear power for producing energy.

President Bush renewed his push for expansion of nuclear energy within the US as well and sought support for plans to revive nuclear fuel reprocessing to deal with radioactive waste from commercial power plants.

Earlier, while addressing his supporters in Tampa, Florida on Friday afternoon, President Bush defended the Oct 18 agreement he signed with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, agreeing to provide civilian nuclear reactors to India.

Describing his decision as a “good policy” for America, Mr Bush said he would also discuss the proposed deal with Indian leaders when he visits India early next month.

“And so I’m going to talk to them about development of a civilian nuclear power industry”, Mr Bush said.

The US president, who said he would be visiting India on March 1 or around that period of time, said the deal was in the interests of the United States.