May 01, 2007	Tuesday	Rabi-us-Sani 13, 1428

WASHINGTON, April 30: Indian Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon was in Washington on Monday for two days of talks with top US diplomats on nuclear energy cooperation, the Indian embassy said.US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the United States would like to rapidly finalize a civilian nuclear deal.

“We will get this deal done,” McCormack said. “I think the meetings coming up over the next couple of weeks will give us a good indication of how quickly a deal can get done.” He added the United States was interested in “what sort of ideas the Indian government comes to the table with,” on the issue.

The talks have stalled mainly over concerns in India that the agreement will seek to curtail the country's nuclear weapons programme.

An embassy press spokesman confirmed that Menon had arrived in Washington on Sunday, but would not give any further statement.

During his two-day visit, Menon is to meet with US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns and Paula Dobriansky, US under secretary of state for global affairs and democracy.

The talks are to implement an accord struck in July 2005 giving India access to US nuclear fuel and technology for civilian use without requiring New Delhi to sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty as required by US law.—AFP