With some Nuclear Supplier Group countries raising questions over the move to allow India to conduct civil nuclear trade, the US on Friday said the draft being considered by the 45-nation grouping could be amended but asserted that nothing will be allowed to impede the process.
Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher, who will hold talks with officials of External Affairs Ministry in New Delhi on Monday, said the US and India will discuss which changes can be accommodated and which cannot be.
"I don't want to lie to you...I can't really lie. There might be some changes that we could accept. But we are pushing for a clean text," Boucher told reporters here as the NSG held deliberations in Vienna on whether India should be given the exemption to conduct civil nuclear trade.
He said "there are countries who want changes in the text. Some of those may be acceptable, some may not".
He said he had talked to "skeptics. I talked to countries that are raising questions and issues (about the N-deal). The question is how we answer those issues... Answer the legitimate questions", he said.
The US and India, Boucher said, will have to "sit together and see what we can accommodate and what we can't. We will have to talk to the other Governments involved."
{{/usCountry}}The US and India, Boucher said, will have to "sit together and see what we can accommodate and what we can't. We will have to talk to the other Governments involved."
{{/usCountry}}"If you are making an exception... There has to be a certain logic to it", he added.
He did not specify what kind of changes would be made in the draft which was moved by the US at the NSG meet on Thursday.
The draft has been finalised after tough negotiations between Washigton and New Delhi, which has been keen on ensuring that no conditions are attached to the waiver.