N-deal: India dispatches Saran to Washington

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March 28, 2006 22:21 IST

In the midst of US Congress' debate on Indo-US civil nuclear deal, Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran will be in Washington from Wednesday seeking to clear the doubts that several American lawmakers have with regard to the agreement besides holding talks with Bush administration officials.

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Saran will meet Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns to discuss next steps in civilian nuclear cooperation, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna told reporters in New Delhi. He will also meet some US Congress members seeking to clear the doubts they have with regard to the civilian nuclear deal, sources said.

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India's impeccable record on non-proliferation front is expected to be highlighted by Saran who is visiting the US at a time when the Congress is debating a legislation to allow trade with India in nuclear technology. Considering that the civil nuclear deal will require endorsement by the 45-country Nuclear Suppliers Group, New Delhi has already started reaching out to its members some of which have reservations to allowing nuclear supplies to India until it signed the NPT.

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Saran had met envoys of NSG countries in New Delhi recently to put across India's point of view, the sources said. During his stay in Washington, Saran is also scheduled to deliver a lecture on 'Indo-US relations: An agenda for the future' at the conservative Heritage Foundation.

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