Friday, May 26 2006 12:54 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

London: The United States is not trying to impose 'new issues' on India for implementing the civil nuclear deal and is fully dedicated to securing Congressional support for it, Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns has said.

"I think that the Indian people and the Government be assured that President Bush is absolutely 100 per cent dedicated to achieving Congressional support for the civil nuclear deal," Burns said in an interview to NDTV here.

Describing the deal as the 'centre piece' of the new relationship between India and the US, he said "In many ways, it is not only important because what it does for our nuclear industry, yours and ours, but it also symbolises this new cooperation. So, we are seeking Congressional action this summer in Washington," he said.

"I can assure you that the US is not trying to impose nor do we intend to impose any new issues on the Indian government," Burns, who met Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran here for further discussions on the deal, said.

The US official said he and Saran have had hundreds of hours of discussions over the last 14 months.

"We finished our negotiations and now we are trying to implement them," he said.

Acknowledging that the issue of nuclear testing has been a part of the discussions for well over a year, he said both sides were aware of each other's views.

"We are trying now to find the right way to articulate the understanding that we have between the two governments and I am confident that we can find a way forward on that issue and I don't think it is a difficulty," he said adding he was rather optimistic about the agreement in general.