Monday, November 28 2005 14:49 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The US Congress would support the Indo-US nuclear deal provided India worked out a 'definite separation' of its military and civilian facilities, US Congressman Dan Burton said here today (Nov 28, 2005).

"I am leaning towards the nuclear agreement (signed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and US President George W Bush on July 18)," Burton, who is heading a Congressional delegation to India, told reporters here.

"But we want a definite separation between civilian and military (components of India's nuclear programme). If that is assured, I am quite sure it will be addressed," he said on the sidelines of a meeting with delegates of the Confederation of Indian Industry.

Singh and Bush had signed a path breaking agreement in Washington on July 18 under which the US implicitly recognized India as a nuclear weapons state and agreed to supply fuel for Tarapore reactors following a series of commitments by New Delhi, including that of separating civilian and military facilities.

The Republican Congressman from Indiana, who has often been called an India baiter, said he was aware of his image "Which is why I chose to lead this delegation."

"Everyone in the US agrees that this is a good time to talk to India," said the Vice Chairman of the sub-committee on Asia-Pacific in the House International Relations Committee of the US," he said.