N-deal endgame in sight, US increases pressure on India

New Delhi: There is growing pressure from the United States on the Indian Government to get on with closing the nuclear deal.

US Ambassador to India, David Mulford met India's Chief Nuclear Negotiator, Shyam Saran, on Wednesday and told him that the next steps — towards operationlising the deal — will have to be taken quickly.

Meanwhile, the committee set up by the Government comprising of UPA and Left leaders have had a second meeting to hammer out a compromise.

However, a compromise seems unlikely for Left leaders have rejected the Government's response to their objections on issue and it also seems that they are not going bow down to pressure.

Despite the Left's opposition to the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal, there seems to be a significant development at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) meet in Vienna.

Atomic Energy chief Anil Kakodkar told journalists that everyone in the nuclear community is keen on early negotiations between India, IAEA and the Nuclear Suppliers Group to help implement the deal.

He also said India, not being a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, expects the US to work out clean and unconditional exemption from NSG.

This, while the US also expects India to pursue talks on safeguards with the IAEA.

Sources in the IAEA indicate that Kakodkar is expected to meet Director General, Mohammed ElBaradei, sometime during the week.