New Delhi: The U.S. indicated that despite "remaining differences" over the separation plan of New Delhi's civilian and military nuclear facilities, the two sides are confident of "closing" the gap to clinch a landmark nuclear agreement just in time for U.S. President George W. Bush's visit starting March 1."There are remaining differences, but the U.S. hopes they can be closed before the president (Bush) visits India," the U.S. embassy said in a statement.
The nuclear agreement, which will allow nuclear commerce with India for reactors and fuel denied for three decades, is likely to be announced after Bush's talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh March 2.
The two sides have managed to considerably narrow the gap over the separation plan after US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns held three days of "extensive talks" with Indian negotiators, including Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran, National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan and Atomic Energy Commission chairman Anil Kakodkar.
Burns left Saturday morning after hectic parleys in an attempt to thrash out differences over placing India's civilian nuclear rectors in the civilian list. New Delhi is likely to place 14 of its 22 nuclear reactors, including the seven under construction, in the civilian list, reliable diplomatic sources said.
For now, India has succeeded in keeping its indigenously developed fast breeder reactor programme - the subject of difficult bargaining for both sides - out of the civilian list, sources said.
The external affairs ministry here also sounded positive about the outcome of the talks, saying in a statement Friday that "progress" had been made and there was "greater clarity" on the separation plan after the discussions.
Manmohan Singh himself described the talks as "fruitful" and said he was looking forward to welcoming Bush March 1.
"I think President Bush and Prime Minister Singh have really given a clear signal. They both want this agreement done," Burns had told reporters Friday.
In interviews to Indian journalists in Washington, Bush said he was hoping an agreement would be reached during his visit that he could sell to the U.S. Congress to implement the civil nuclear energy cooperation deal.
"First things first is to go to India and hopefully reach an agreement on separation, and then bring that agreement back and start selling it to the Congress," Bush said in the interview.
"But we can't bring anything back until we've agreed to the agreement. And that's what's happening now. There's a spirit of goodwill and cooperation," he said.
Under the July 18, 2005, civilian nuclear cooperation deal agreed upon between India and the US during the visit of Manmohan Singh to Washington, New Delhi is required to "voluntarily" place its civilian nuclear facilities under international safeguards in a phased manner in return for full civilian nuclear cooperation with Washington and, by extension, with the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group.
Source: IANS
