By IANS
New Delhi : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday said that there are still "one or two issues" in the way of finalizing a bilateral civil nuclear cooperation agreement with the US.
Manmohan Singh was referring to continuing differences with the US over India's insistence on getting prior consent for re-processing US-origin spent fuel and its sovereign right to test a nuclear device.
Speaking to reporters after launching "The New Asia Power Dynamic", a collection of essays unfolding the rise of Asia on the global stage, at his 7 Race Course residence, Manmohan Singh also said that his government has been completely transparent about the nuclear deal and has kept parliament informed about every stage of the civil nuclear negotiations with the US.
When asked whether he would go to the US in September, he said: "Dates haven't been worked out yet."
S. Jaishankar, India's high commissioner to Singapore and a key negotiator on the nuclear deal, Tuesday said in Washington that there were "gaps" in perception, but they do not pose any major problem in the finalisation of the 123 agreement.
India and the US have held four rounds of talks to finalise the text of the 123 bilateral agreement, that will open the door of nuclear commerce between them, without a breakthrough on crucial issues like reprocessing, testing and the US' insistence on right of return of nuclear equipment and fuel in the case of New Delhi conducting a nuclear test.
India has indicated that it will set up a dedicated facility for reprocessing and place it under international safeguards to break the logjam over reprocessing.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is expected to come here next month for a crucial round of talks that may finally lead to a breakthrough on contentious issues blocking the 123 agreement.