The United States has come out and stated they are still hopeful of making a nuclear deal with India by the end of 2008 to cooperate with nuclear efforts.
The spokesman for the State Department Tom Casey stated that the best interests of the United States as well as India lie in getting the deal done.
Casey is optimistic that before the end of the Bush administration in January 2009, a deal would be in place.
The deal aims to give India the ability to gain access to U.S. nuclear fuel and reactors. White House spokesman Tony Fratto has rejected views that the deal is all but dead as he believes it can get done.
He stated “We understand that all politics are local and that India is a thriving democracy and they have work to do and they may need some additional time on their end to get their part of this deal done,” Fratto told reporters.
“The president is willing, and is very understanding that the Indians may need more time for this. But no, it’s not dead.”
Casey stated “We do hope though that India will decide to move forward with this agreement and we would like to see it completed in 2008. This is an issue on which we continue to have conversations with Indian government officials.”
The optimists are in place, now India and the United States have to make it happen.
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