Date:10/06/2007 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/06/10/stories/2007061002140100.htm

Back Nuclear deal may be done before Sept

K. Venugopal

New Delhi June 9 The negotiations ahead will be tough, but the US-India civilian nuclear energy deal could well be sewn up before September.

Speaking to the media on board the special aircraft bringing him back from the G-8 summit at German resort town of Heiligendamm, the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, conceded that there were difficulties in putting the agreement together.

"Some tough negotiations will be needed before we can see light at the end of the tunnel," he said.

The Prime Minister confirmed that he had a very good conversation with the US President, Mr George Bush, on the sidelines of the summit.

Asked whether the two leaders had set a timetable for the completion of the deal and whether he thought it could be done by September, Dr Singh asked, "Why September? Why not earlier?"

`Positive feeling'

He noted the support he had from Mr Bush, who he said had "positive feeling for India" and "a sense of ownership for the nuclear deal".

The National Security Advisor, Mr M.K. Narayanan, had held talks with his counterpart, Mr Stephen Hadley, at Heiligendamm to take the discussions forward, he said.

"True, it will take some more time. I cannot assert that I got the final answer yesterday (at his meeting with President Bush). There are several ideas (on the table). What we want is that the substance of the agreement should conform to what I have told the people and Parliament of India," he said. "President Bush was appreciative of our concern."

Asked about the political opposition to the deal, Dr Singh said that he was not interested in that.