123: India keeping its fingers crossed

On Board PM's Special Aircraft, Sep 22 (UNI) Three days before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh meets US President George Bush in Washington, India is keeping its fingers crossed on whether the civil nuclear agreement would be concluded, sources said today.

Talking to reporters on board the Prime Minister's Special Aircraft enroute to Frankfurt on way to the US, the sources said they were keeping their fingers crossed on whether the deal would be concluded as it was upto the US Congress which was pre-occupied with the financial crisis in the country.

Asked about the feedback from the US Congress, the sources said there was a section which felt the lawmakers were pre-occupied with the financial problems facing the superpower while others said the 123 agreement would be cleared.

However, the sources said it makes no difference whether it is done on the 25th, the 26th or later.

''India is always ready and it will happen,''they said.

''We are not going there to sign the agreement. We will see first whether the US Congress clears the deal. We are not using the visit for signing the pact,''the sources emphasised.

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