World | Updated Mar 01, 2008 at 08:29pm IST

Time for India to decide on N-deal: Burns

Washington: The Indo-US civil nuclear deal has been a bone of contention between the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government and the Left.

The Left parties have warned the Congress-led UPA not to go ahead with the deal.

With the deal yet to be ratified by India, former US under secretary of state Nicholas Burns again reminded that time's running out on the deal.

Burns referred directly to coalition politics in India while asking the government to take a courageous decision in favour of the deal.

Burns said that the deal should go to NSG (Nuclear Suppliers' Group) by March so "I'm afraid it's time for the (Indian) government to decide".

"If Indian government can proceed on the deal, the US will take it to the Nuclear Suppliers' Group. We are confident that NSG will vote to accept India," Burns said.

He also added that the nuclear deal would help strengthen Indo-US relationship.

"Deal is symbolic centerpiece of Indo-US relations. I believe Indian government is sincere in pushing the deal forward," he said.

He also supported Senator Joe Biden's deadline saying, "Time is very short".

In February, a delegation of US lawmakers said the agreement must be concluded soon so that the Congress could give its final approval. Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Senator Joe Biden has made it clear that if Congress does not ratify the agreement in July, the next US president is likely to renegotiate it.

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