India, US examining suggestions regarding Nuke deal

New Delhi, May 17 (UNI) India and the United States are in the process of exchanging and examining suggestions regarding the civilian nuclear agreement which has entered a crucial stage.

US Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns will visit India next week to fine-tune the 123 agreement and continue discussions with Indian officials including Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon.

However, no particular date had yet been finalised for the visit, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said in response to a question.

''No particular date has yet been finalised. We are in the process of exchanging suggestions and examining them,'' he said.

The visit by Mr Burns follows a letter written by seven US Senators to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asking India to sever military ties with Iran.

The Foreign Secretary had also visited Washington recently and held discussions with Bush Adminsitration officials on the deal.

Sources said India would not foreclose its testing option and there was no question of the 123 agreement restricting India's strategic nuclear programme.

''It is a strict no no for us...'', the sources added.

The sources, however, said it was important to finalise the deal as quickly as possible.

They said the other parts of the negotiations--on the 123 agreement and with the IAEA and the NSG--would have to be done quickly.

While India was engaged with the IAEA, the US would hold negotiations with the NSG.

''Let the US handle the NSG...We don't expect the negotiations with the IAEA to be difficult,'' the sources added.

The Government yesterday made it clear that the deal would be firmed up only within the framework of the July 18, 2005, agreement and the March 2, 2006, Separation Plan.

UNI