Mukherjee hopeful of finding solution on nuke deal

Chandigarh, Mar 15 (UNI) External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee today said the Indo-US nuclear deal was very much on and he was talking to the Left parties on this subject.

''I am hopeful that a solution will emerge'', he said while talking to mediapersons after attending a seminar on India's relations with Central Asian nations here.

When asked to comment on BJP leader L K Advani's statement that the nuclear deal was 'dead', the external affairs minister quipped, ''I do not know what is Mr Advani's source''.

Regarding the latest crackdown by China on protests in Tibet, the minister said they are watching the situation and would make a comment at the appropriate time. He said he would speak to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh when he returns to Delhi.

Asked whether his talks with US leaders during his forthcoming visit to that country would revolve around the nuclear deal, Mr Mukherjee said there were a number of bilateral and strategic issues between the two countries which would come up for discussions. In this he referred to economic and trade issues, pointing that the US was India's single largest trading partner.

UNI HS KK GC1546