US pushes India on N-deal, rules out fresh talks

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Monday spoke to External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee over telephone on bilateral nuclear deal as Washington ruled out renegotiation of the agreement.
US pushes India on N-deal, rules out fresh talks
During the conversation, Rice conveyed to Mukherjee that the US was keen on moving ahead with the civilian nuclear deal, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.

The spokesman said the civilian nuclear deal was the “primary” focus of the telephone conversation between Rice and Mukherjee.

Asked if Rice is “still hopeful” of the accord that has run into political trouble in India, McCormack said “She (Rice) still supports it going forward. We have conveyed that to the Indian government at a number of different levels.

“They’re (Indian leaders) working through some domestic politics. I know that there is an intense debate within India, right now, concerning the civil nuclear deal with the United States.

“The Indian people and the Indian political system are going to have to work out whatever resolution of that debate there will be. But we continue to urge the Indian government to move forward with this deal. And we are prepared to move forward with it as well” McCormack said.

Agencies