NO NUKES FOR..... mangoes?

This may well represent an incredible breakthrough: the dawn of a new age in international relations, a bold initiative in global capitalism. I may not be an economist, but I'd say the party that walks away from the table with nuclear technology fared a bit better than the party leaving with a pile of fruit. Maybe before Fearless Leader returns from his trip he can swap the Mars Rover plans for the latest in samosa technology. Mmmmm....

Americans may be able to savour irradiated Indian mangoes next summer under a Framework Equivalence Plan signed as part of the Indo-U.S. Knowledge Initiative on Agriculture Education, Research, Services and Commercial Linkages.

In a reference on Thursday, U.S. President George Bush said at his joint press conference with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh: "I look forward to eating Indian mangoes with the opening up of markets and [the] liberalisation of trade." The U.S. authorities have agreed to consider lifting sanitary and phyto-sanitary ban on its import.

I'm willing to bet that he couldn't tell a mango from a mitten. It's a shame we'll have to wait 'till next week to see what the late-night funsters do with that line. But in the meantime, maybe you'd like to come up with your own mango-related quips. Let's see here....

"Prime Minister Singh, I can't wait to get my lips around your juicy mangoes."

"I know that all Americans will be as excited as I am to have the chance to sample your mangoes after these long decades of waiting. And I know that we'll all be completely satisified."

"I gave 'em nookyalur technology for these? Well, at least he promised they were magic mangoes."

"I can't wait to take a buncha mangoes back to Crawford and make 'em fight cobras. Like in that cartoon."

"I'm more than happy to exchange heap big wampum to improve relations with our Indian friends for what your people call 'mangoes' and my people call 'maize.'"