By Arun Kumar, IANS
Washington : Nicholas Burns, Washington’s key negotiator of the India-US nuclear deal, has decided to quit the Bush administration for what were described as personal reasons.
Announcing the surprise resignation of Burns, 51, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Friday: “This is a very bittersweet time for us because Nick Burns had decided that it is time for him to retire.
“He has decided that it’s the right moment to go back to family concerns.”
Rice said Burns, who will not formally leave until March, will keep a role after that in working on the India-US nuclear deal. The agreement must clear several hurdles, including an India-specific additional protocol with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and clearance from the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group.
The agreement that would resume nuclear commerce between India and US after 30 years has to be finally approved by the US Congress, before it can take effect.
Rice is expected to recommend US Ambassador to Russia William Burns to replace him as under secretary of state for political affairs.
Nicholas Burns, a former US ambassador to NATO and State Department spokesman, has been a key player in negotiating the two UN Security Council resolutions imposing sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme
The United States believes Iran aims to acquire nuclear weapons and the UN sanctions are designed to force Tehran to suspend its uranium enrichment activities, which can produce fuel for nuclear weapons or nuclear power plants. Iran says its programme is for power generation.