New Delhi
May 12, 2006 

Question: Tom Lantos has said that India first needs to negotiate with IAEA, and India and US need to sign a bilateral agreement before the US Congress takes it up? Officially what is the status…

Official Spokesperson: As you know, we have been looking at how this agreement goes forward in the US Congress. My attention has already been drawn by several of your colleagues since morning to remarks attributed to Congressman Tom Lantos concerning the proposed India-US Civil Nuclear Energy Cooperation Agreement. It is for the US Administration to ensure the passage of appropriate legislation in the US Congress to enable civil nuclear energy cooperation with India on the basis of the reciprocal understandings contained in the India-US Joint Statement of July 18, 2005 and the Separation Plan presented to Indian Parliament on March 7, 2006.