Rice says US-Indian nuclear deal can be completed by year-end

Washington, June 28 (UNI) US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice believes the US-Indian civil nuclear deal, currently bogged down in the bitter policy disputes, can be settled by the end of this year.

''Had this been easy, it would have been done a long time ago,'' she told a meeting of the US-India Business Council here yesterday, frankly acknowledging the difficulties involved in the negotiation process.

Rice said both of the leaders -- Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Bush -- had made it clear that ''it is worth it'' to have such an agreement, disregard of the difficulties involved.

''That means that those of us who are then charged with making it happen, have to be tireless in our efforts to make certain that it does happen,'' she said, amidst applause.

Rice said the agreement, first proposed by the United States in July 2005, was ''a huge step forward. We're not quite there yet.

But with will and determination and more hard work to do, I am certain that we will reach final agreement and be in a position to complete this deal by the end of the year.'' She said the, ''wrapping up this agreement will open new doors of cooperation for us in the nuclear field. I can remember that in many quarters, people did not think this possible. It is possible and when we have done this, we will open even more doors in business and science, in agriculture and development, for energy and the environment, and of course, perhaps most importantly, to help strengthen and safeguard international security.'' She said, ''The greatest opportunity for our countries, now and in the years ahead, is not just to continue, though, building a strong relationship, a strong partnership, but it's putting that partnership to use in the world, on behalf of the interests and the ideals that we share.'' The nuclear would allow India access to US civilian nuclear technology, overturning a decades-old ban resulting from India's refusal to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Under the proposed deal, India will get nuclear technology and fuel and in return it will accept international inspection in its non-military nuclear facilities.

The main sticking point in the 123 agreement, a prerequisite for the implementation of the deal, is India's insistence to retain the right to reprocess spent nuclear fuel and nuclear test, if the security situation so demands.

Secretary Rice also sought the help of the business groups of India and the US in advancing the Doha Development Round of World Trade Organisation negotiations. The talks, which began in 2001, have been stalled over a divide between industrial nations and developing countries.

Rice said the failure of the Doha talks would be a historic missed opportunity and a tragedy.

Earlier, US Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez said India, Brazil and other large developing countries should step up in the trade talks and make the market opening concessions required to reach a deal.

''In our view, India can do more,'' he said.

He was speaking a week after a failed meeting between the US, India, Brazil and the European Union that touched off new crisis in the six-year old global trade talks.

UNI