U.S. and India: 'Partners in a Global Nonproliferation Regime'

In a visit today with Indian Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran, U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns expressed confidence that the U.S. Congress would pass legislation by early next year on implementation of a civilian nuclear energy between the two countries - before President Bush visits India in early 2006.

The agreement was signed during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to the U.S. in July. Under the deal, India has to separate civil and military nuclear facilities and open its civilian nuclear reactors to the [International Atomic Energy Agency] for inspection in return for transfer of U.S. nuclear technology and fuel.

Saran too sounded confident about making the nuclear deal a reality and said: "India and the US are becoming partners in a global non-proliferation regime."

Burns arrived here late Thursday on a two-day visit to finalise a timetable to implement the India-US civil nuclear energy deal that entails changes in US laws and guidelines of the influential Nuclear Suppliers Group.

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