October 18, 2007	Thursday	Shawwal 5, 1428

NEW DELHI, Oct 17: India’s ruling Congress party said on Wednesday that a controversial nuclear deal with the United States was still on, despite stiff opposition within the coalition government.

The Congress statement came two days after Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told US President George Bush about “certain difficulties” in implementing the nuclear agreement.

“The deal is not in cold storage and is very much in the offing,” the Press Trust of India quoted Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmed as saying.

“It is not correct to say that the deal has been put on hold or put on the back-burner.” The party official said the government would hold more talks with its Communist allies to iron out the differences.

Washington also said on Tuesday that the accord could still be implemented, despite difficulties.

“The president is willing and is very understanding that the Indians may need more time for this. But no, it’s not — it’s not dead,” White House spokesman Tony Fratto said.The US State Department hoped India would move forward with the agreement, which it wanted completed in 2008.

Under the agreement, the US would provide India with nuclear fuel and technology even though nuclear-armed India has not signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. In exchange, India must put selected nuclear facilities under international safeguards, including inspections.

The nuclear deal’s operational agreement was adopted in August after two years of complex negotiations.

New Delhi must still sign a separate pact with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and get the thumbs-up from the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers’ Group, which controls global nuclear commerce.

Left-wing parties have been threatening to withdraw their support for the government in parliament over the deal, a move that would force early elections.—AFP