US 'ready' to resolve outstanding issues in N-deal

WASHINGTON: The United States on Saturday said it is "ready to resolve" the outstanding issues in the Indo-US nuclear deal in talks with top Indian officials next week and expressed confidence that a final agreement would be reached with "hard work and flexibility".

"The United States stands ready to resolve the remaining outstanding issues on the 123 agreement. The United States understands the importance of the Agreement to our relationship and the benefits it will bring to both nations.

We are confident that with continued hard work, flexibility,  and good spirit, we will reach a final agreement," the State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said in a statement.

He said the United States is looking forward to welcoming Indian National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan, Department of Atomic Energy Chairman Anil Kakodkar and Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon to Washington between July 16-19.

The Indian officials would hold talks with Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs R Nicholas Burns, U.S. National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley and other top officials on July 17 in hopes to firm up an agreement.

The American officials "will hold discussions with the Indian delegation regarding our broader bilateral relationship, and ways to work together to bring stability to the South Asia region," McCormack said.

India and the US have been discussing the fine print of the accord for two years following the accord between the two countries on the nuclear deal.