Washington: Terming the Indo-US nuclear deal as a 'crowning achievement' for the US, the Senators, appointed to thrash out the language of the final legislation to implement the deal, have said the agreement was important for promoting greater regional and international security.

"This legislation is a cornerstone of the President's (George W Bush) vision for a new strategic partnership between the United States and India that will promote greater regional and international stability," Chairman of the House International Relations Committee Henry Hyde said at the start of a manager's meeting of the conference committee of the two chambers last evening.

In the first formal meeting of the conferees of the House and the Senate, Hyde announced that the staffers are close to an agreement.

"The Bills were not too far apart to begin with," the Illinois Democrat said.

Hyde also hoped that the close relationship between India and the US will also contribute to stability in South Asia.

"It is our hope that this closer relationship will contribute significantly to stability in South Asia, the Indian Ocean Basin and the International system as a whole" Hyde said in the presence of other senior Mangers like the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Richard Lugar and the Ranking Member of the House International Relations Committee Tom Lantos.

"This strategic partnership envisions expanded cooperation across a broad range of subjects... The cooperation in civil nuclear energy it enables will greatly enhance India's capacity to produce the energy needed by its rapidly growing economy" Hyde added.