Tuesday, August 1 2006 10:31 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Washington: The Bush administration is working very closely with Congress on the civilian nuclear legislation in a manner that the 'fundamental principles' of the agreement with India are not touched, the US State Department has said.

"We're working closely with the Hill. But this is a democratic process. I think parliamentarians in India are well familiar with that. And our legislative branch has certain prerogatives, and they exercise those prerogatives," State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters yesterday (July 31, 2006).

He was responding to a query on the amendments that were offered during passage in the House of Representatives last week.

"We, however, have been working very closely with them so that they exercise those prerogatives in such a way, in the form of amendments or other types of things, so that the fundamental principles of the agreement with India are not touched, so that you can move forward on this agreement" he said.

"But certainly the legislative branch has a say in this matter" the Spokesman maintained.

The Senate has to take up its version of the legislation and this will happen only after the summer recess in September.