Mukherjee talks N-deal difficulties with Rice

Mukherjee is understood to have apprised Rice about the confabulations of the last meeting of UPA-Left committee on nuclear issue when the two leaders discussed the issue last night, sources said. With the US being keen on concluding the nuclear deal at the earliest, Rice wanted to know how much progress had been made on implementation of the agreement, the sources said. She is understood to have impressed upon the need for concluding the deal at the earliest. Noting that the government was making efforts to complete the process, Mukherjee explained the difficulties being encountered because of the stiff opposition by the Left parties, the sources said.

The US has set May-end deadline for the agreement to come back to its Congress for the final vote, failing which the prospects of deal getting through would be very low. Before the deal goes back to the Congress for the final vote, India has to finalise a safeguards agreement with IAEA and seek an exemption from 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group. These steps are on hold due to opposition from the Left parties, which provide crucial outside support to the UPA government. India has concluded negotiations with IAEA for Safeguards Agreement but its signing is on hold pending a nod from Left parties which continue to have reservations.

During the telephonic conversation, Mukherjee and Rice also discussed the humanitarian situation in Myanmar where cyclone has caused widespread devastation. While India has despatched a number of consignments of relief supplies, Myanmar had refused to accept similar aid from the US but reconsidered its decision yesterday.

State-run television of Myanmar yesterday announced that it will accept emergency aid from the United States but did not specify how it would be delivered or distributed. The announcement was made after a meeting between deputy foreign affairs minister Kyaw Thu and the head of the US embassy in Myanmar, Shari Villarosa.India has sent relief supplies and medicines by two Naval ships and three IAF planes.

India has said it stood ready to send more aid to Myanmar to help it meet the crisis situation. The cyclone 'nargis' has reportedly killed over 40,000 people and left millions homeless.