New Delhi
18 May 2007
The United States has said that it wants the negotiations on the 123
agreement to conclude "in a timely manner" but not before issues, like nonproliferation,
that are important for the international system, are addressed to its satisfaction by India.
United States Department of State Spokesman Steve McCormack said on Thursday in
Washington, "We would like to do it sooner rather than later, but these are important
issues. They're important issues for us. They're important issues for India. They're
important issues for the international system that deals with matters of nonproliferation
and nuclear energy. So we want to get it done in a timely manner, but we also want to get
it done right."
Reiterating Washington's position that US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs
Nicholas Burns was in no hurry to come down to New Delhi, he indicated that no travel
plans were likely this month. "This month -- I haven't asked him. I know that there were
some press reports about whether or not he was going to be going this week or next
week. I'm not aware that he has any travel plans at this point to go to India," he said.
The spokesman went on to observe that both sides were working on the 123 agreement.
"We are making progress on it. It's not completed yet. But I understand that over the
course of the past several weeks there have been some positive discussions on
concluding that agreement. We certainly want to do that. We understand from the Indian
Government that they want to conclude that agreement as well," he said.
For its part, New Delhi remains hopeful of a resolution. "I am hopeful. We are in for
serious negotiations. Talks are going on," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday
told reporters on the sidelines of a function at Rashtrapati Bhavan. He was responding to
queries about reports in media suggesting road blocks in the proposed talks between the
two sides.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is likely to meet US President George W Bush at the
Group of Eight Outreach Summit in Germany early next month. Mr Bush had telephoned
Mr Singh earlier this month.
The Ministry of External Affairs has said that "no particular date has yet been finalised"
for the visit of Mr Nicholas Burns to New Delhi for talks with Foreign Secretary
Shivshankar Menon to iron out "some" remaining issues.
New Delhi has made it known to its American interlocutors that it cannot close its options
for carrying out nuclear tests through any legal binding of its voluntary moratorium.
Unambiguous fuel supply assurances and right to reprocess spent fuel are other
important areas on which India is unwilling to make any concessions.
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