WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 (UPI) -- A U.S. official expressed optimism about the Indian-U.S. civilian nuclear deal getting the nod this month from the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group.
NSG approval is the next hurdle for the complex agreement before it is presented to U.S. Congress for ratification.
U.S. State Department Spokesman Gonzalo Gonzales said in Washington that the Bush administration is "positive" of getting the deal approved at the NSG, which is expected to meet Aug 21 in Austria, the Press Trust of India reported.
Last Friday, India, which badly needs the deal to end its 34-year-old international nuclear isolation despite being a nuclear weapon power, won a consensus approval of its India-specific safeguards agreement from the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Gonzales said the Bush administration hopes to present the nuclear deal to Congress on Sept. 8, the PTI report said.
The nuclear deal will allow India access to U.S. civilian nuclear technology and fuel that isn't possible because India hasn't signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty. In return India must allow only its civilian nuclear sites, but not its nuclear weapons facilities, to be inspected.
