N-trade hurdles may figure in Singh-Obama talks

The US envoy in New Delhi, Timothy J Roemer, said the reprocessing rights for India, enactment of a liability legislation by the Indian Parliament and licensing were the issues which Singh and Obama could discuss in order to expedite negotiations and removing hurdles in commencing the nuclear trade between the two countries.

Singh is likely to leave for Washington for a five-day-tour next Saturday. His will be the first state visit by a foreign leader to the US after Obama took over as American President in January this year.

“We are optimistic that all the three issues will be resolved soon. We are pushing hard to implement the (India-US civil nuclear cooperation) agreement,” Washington’s envoy to New Delhi told journalists.

Roemer said the two countries had been able to resolve some of the issues related to nuclear trade over the past few months. Obama’s predecessor George Bush had signed the 123 agreement for nuclear cooperation between India and the US into law during the last days of his tenure. But several other steps were to be taken before the two countries could actually begin nuclear trade.