Saran, Rice discuss N-deal's execution

Washington: Implementation of the historic Indo-US civilian nuclear deal came up during discussions Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran had with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at Washington.

The meeting with Rice on Wednesday followed a working lunch Saran had with Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns, in which they discussed "all bilateral issues" with a focus on the civilian nuclear agreement specially on the kind of steps that are necessary to take it further, sources said.

The Bush administration is understood to have affirmed its commitment to working with the United States Congress and the Nuclear Suppliers Group to advance the civilian nuclear energy agreement between the two countries.

Senior officials of the two sides are also said to have discussed the so-called 123 Agreement, seen as a technical one that would have to be approved by Congress as well.

"These senior level consultations are to advance the United States-India strategic partnership," a senior Bush administration official said.

Saran is scheduled to meet several top lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Friday, including Senator Joseph Biden, the ranking member in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, crucial lawmakers sitting on the House International Relations Committee including Chairman Henry Hyde, ranking Democrat Tom Lantos and Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans Gary Ackerman.