The United States is trying to overcome differences with India over their civil nuclear deal, State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said Wednesday.
President George W. Bush's national security adviser Stephen Hadley will try to conclude an agreement with his Indian counterpart M. K. Narayanan.
"We believe with the commitment from both sides that we can bridge the differences," McCormack told reporters, noting a deal was within reach Wednesday.
India's National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan, Department of Atomic Energy Chairman Anil Kakodkar, and Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon have been here since Monday for talks on the two countries' Nuclear Cooperation Initiative.
In addition to Hadley, U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs R. Nicholas Burns was reportedly to talk to the Indian officials.
The United States and India reached a historic agreement on civil nuclear cooperation in March 2006, under which India will get access to U.S. civil nuclear technology, and open its nuclear facilities to inspection.
U.S. President George W. Bush in December 2006 signed into law a bill approved by Congress allowing the deal to go through, a major step towards letting India buy U.S. nuclear reactors and fuel for the first time in 30 years.
But U.S. Congress attached several conditions to the law which have not gone down well with New Delhi, and the two countries have returned to negotiations.
Under the bill, the U.S. president would be required to end the export of nuclear materials if India tests another nuclear device. India had nuclear tests in 1998.
It also does not guarantee uninterrupted fuel supplies for reactors and prevents India from reprocessing spent atomic fuel.
Indian critics say the agreement will put restrictions on the country's nuclear weapons program.
Source: Xinhua
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