Menon meets Burns in a bid to break deadlock over 123 agreement

Washington, May 1 (UNI) Indian Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon met US Under Secretary Nicholas Burns apparently in a bid to break the deadlock over the proposed 123 agreement, a prerequisite for the implementation of the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal.

The meeting followed the informal dinner discussions the two had last night.

Mr Menon is also expected to call on Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice during his stay there.

The outcome of their current talks will be known later in the day when Mr Menon addresses a scheduled press conference in the Indian embassy.

The Indian Foreign Secretary's visit followed the failure of the talks between the experts of the two countries who met in Cape Town early this month.

The bone of contention appears to be India's insistence to retain its right to conduct nuclear tests, if necessary, in future, a point the United States is in no mood to accept as such a provision would militate against the American non-proliferation laws.

The other points of disagreement are the reprocessing of spent fuel and building of fuel reserves to ensure perennial supply to Indian nuclear facilities.

Though both the sides have expressed the desire to make a success of the agreement, according to informed sources, it would depend on their capacity to resolve the outstanding differences.

UNI