Nicholas Burns Indian Quotations

We have registered our concerns with the Indian government of course,

I don't believe we've heard the last word from the Indian government

Our judgement is that it would not be wise or fair to ask Congress to make such a consequential decision without evidence that the Indian government was acting on what is arguably the most important of its commitments--the separation of its civilian and military facilities

Part of the purpose of my visit to Delhi this week is to work with the Indian government on a plan that would separate the civil and military nuclear states of India over the coming years, ... Once that plan has been clearly enunciated and once it has been committed to by the Indian government and we begin to see its implementation, it will be a short time before the U.S. Congress enacts the necessary legislative changes to bring this into being, and that will be a welcome moment, indeed.

We are working very hard on this agreement on both sides. We have great respect for Indian colleagues with whom we are working, we have been active now for 11 months and there have been unique negotiations, very challenging. But there is a goodwill by both governments, and a commitment by President Bush to see this through towards a conclusion.

We are very clear in our administration ... this agreement has not changed. We are not adding any conditions that we expect the Indian government to meet,

The United States is in Vienna today (Tuesday) and tomorrow (Wednesday) arguing in the nuclear suppliers group that international restrictions on India should be lessened, ... We have already taken certain Indian entities off the proscribed list of the Commerce Department so they can do business with American firms and the United States government. I think by the time President Bush visits Delhi in early 2006 we will see that both our countries will have met our commitments in this landmark agreement and we will see it come to fruition.

That is a signal both to the United States and to the rest of the international community that this move by the Indian government is permanent. It's going to be sustainable and it's not going to be taken back.

That remains our plan. And I've been in touch with the Indian government this week. I expect to be in touch with them in the coming days, and we hope to reach that goal.

agreement to a timetable that will lead to decisions in the US Congress to change our law and the ultimate decision of the Indian government to meet their commitments.