WASHINGTON, Dec 1: US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns will visit India next week to discuss operational details of the Indo-US nuclear deal, officials said.
The deal, already approved by the US Senate and the House of Representative, is now in the last phase of congressional process.
The two chambers are expected to hold a joint session on Dec. 6 to reconcile two versions of the bill they approved separately. After the debate, the legislators will be asked to cast their final vote, probably on Dec. 7 or 8, congressional sources said.Mr Burns, who played a key role in negotiating the deal, is likely to arrive in New Delhi on December 7, a day after the joint session begins.
The senior US official will discuss operational details of the deal with former Indian foreign secretary Shyam Saran, who is now India’s special envoy on the nuclear issue. He will also meet Indian Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon.
The talks are expected to focus on India’s concerns.
Earlier this week, Mr Burns used a talk at the Asia Society, New York, to reassure New Delhi that US lawmakers were aware of India’s concerns and would make enough adjustments during the Senate-House conference to shape a final bill that works for everyone.
“Now the Indian government has said there are a number of provisions in the House bill that they would like to see modified,” Mr Mr Burns said. “We are confident that what will emerge next week will be a bill that is good enough for both our governments and something the United States and India will both support.”
India has several concerns relating to the Senate and House bills, including a demand that India supports the US in the nuclear dispute with Iran.
There are other restrictive clauses in the bills which India says run counter to the original promise of full-scale civilian nuclear commerce. Section 106 of the Senate bill prohibits the export of any equipment, materials or technology related to the enrichment of uranium, the reprocessing of spent fuel, or the production of heavy water.
Similarly, Section 107 requires an end-use monitoring programme to be carried out with respect to US exports and re-exports of nuclear materials, equipment, and technology sold or leased to India; and annual certification by the US president that India is in compliance with its non-proliferation commitments.
