Date:26/02/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/02/26/stories/2006022616081000.htm

National

Bush visit may serve to clinch deal: aide

Diplomatic Correspondent

``There have good consultations''

Stephen Hadley

New Delhi: U.S. President, George Bush's National Security Adviser, Stephen Hadley, said in Washington that the U.S. was trying to see if the President's visit could be used as a "forcing function" to clinch the civil nuclear accord. "If we can, great. If not, we'll continue to work on it after the visit is over," Mr. Hadley told presspersons.

Pointing out that these negotiations on a separation plan for India's civil and military nuclear facilities had been going on for some time, Mr. Hadley remarked, "There have been exchange of papers, exchanges of phone calls. In this latest round, the Indians provided a document about a week ago; we provided some additional ideas and response. [Under Secretary] Nick Burns went to India. There have been good consultations. He is now coming back to Washington to report on where we are on those discussions.

"We're making progress, but we're not yet there. The Indians, hopefully, will have an opportunity from their end to see where we are. And we would expect those negotiations will continue by phone, document and the like, probably up ... to the President's visit," Mr. Hadley maintained. Pointing out that both sides wanted an agreement, Mr. Hadley, however, said, "But it's important to have a good agreement that works for the Indians, works for the United States, will be acceptable to our Congress and to the Nuclear Suppliers Group."

Asked what was holding up a deal, Mr. Hadley replied, "It's just getting some clarification from the Indian side about what's in the civil side and what's on the military side, not only in terms of what exists now, at this time, but what are going to be the ground rules going forward." "There's a lot of technical aspects to it. And the challenge, from the Indian side, of course, is this came up as an integrated programme, and now they are having to make the kind of separation that we've made and other countries have made. And it's hard. It's an issue about facilities, about people, about organisation."

On Saturday, the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi said Under Secretary Nicholas Burns had left New Delhi after three days of "extensive" negotiations. "There are remaining differences but the U.S. hopes they can be closed before the President visits India," it said.