Wednesday, March 1 2006 16:14 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice spoke to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over telephone and said the two countries needed to work hard to implement the civil nuclear deal as they were 'close' to it, ahead of President George W Bush's visit here.

During the conversation last night, Rice said "We are close" to implement the deal and the negotiators of the two countries needed to 'work hard'to finish the talks, Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran told reporters here today.

Significantly, Rice spoke to the Prime Minister soon after he made a statement in Parliament on the July 18 nuclear deal asserting that India would not put its indigenous Fast Breeder Reactors on the civlian side.

The conversation related to how President Bush and Rice looked forward to the visit with 'great anticipation and expectation', Saran said.

Rice will accompany Bush who begins three-day visit to India today (Mar 1,2006).