U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns has expressed doubt that Washington and New Delhi will finalize a nuclear deal before President Bush visits India next week.
Burns made the comment following talks with Indian Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran in New Delhi Wednesday. He said both sides want to complete the negotiations, but added there are differences that need to be worked out. He did not elaborate.
Under the deal, India would gain access to long-denied U.S. nuclear technology in exchange for including some of its reactors on a list of civilian facilities that would be subject to international inspections.
Burns and Saran are to continue talks on Friday.
Some U.S. legislators oppose the deal. They say it could undermine the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
India has not signed the treaty.