Days after a landmark civilian nuclear deal was approved by the United States Congress, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice held talks in the Indian capital Saturday, but could not sign the agreement due to administrative hitches, reported the DPA. Addressing a joint press briefing with Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee after more than an hour of discussions, Rice said, "the 123 Agreement is done. ... We don't have any open issues." Only the "administrative matter" of signing remained, she added. The Congress on Monday approved the deal, which allows the US to export nuclear materials and technology for India's civilian nuclear energy programme ending a 30-year ban. It was earlier expected that the signing of the agreement would take place during Rice's visit to India. The delay in signing the 123 agreement was due to administrative details that had to be tied up and also because it had been a busy time for the US Congress over the past couple of days, Rice said. Mukherjee clarified that the signing would take place at a mutually agreed date after Bush signed the Congressional bill approving the 123 agreement into law.
