India, US narrow down N-deal differences
India, US narrow down N-deal differences
The two sides understood each other's position and there was some narrowing down of differences, sources said.

New Delhi: India and the US have narrowed down of differences on Monday as officials from both the countries met in New Delhi to negotiate an agreement to operationalise the civil nuclear deal concluded last year.

Both India and the US aim to conclude the bilateral agreement by the end of this year.

Officials of the two countries held day-long talks to iron out differences emerge in the 123 Agreement over various elements, including fuel supply assurances, reprocessing of spent fuel and future nuclear testing by India.

The two sides understood each other's position and there was some narrowing down of differences, sources said without elaborating.

New Delhi has alleged that the Henry Hyde Act, passed by the US Congress in December last year to allow civil nuclear trade with India, "significantly deviates" from the understanding of July 18, 2005, and March 2006, which was unacceptable to it.

New Delhi has already conveyed its concerns to Washington and handed over a draft text of the agreement suggesting the clauses it wants to be incorporated.

The Indian side was led by Joint Secretary in External Affairs Ministry Gayatri Kumar at the two-day talks, while the American delegation is headed by Richard Stratford, director of Nuclear Division in the State Department.

Officials of the Department of Atomic Energy and S Jayshankar, Indian ambassador to Singapore, are also participating in the talks. Jayshankar was Kumar's predecessor and had been involved in the parleys earlier.

(With inputs from PTI)

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