Washington: External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee will arrive here on Sunday for crucial talks with top US officials that are likely to be dominated by the civilian nuclear deal, which he has said India can neither "mend" nor "end".

The two-day trip will be Mukherjee's maiden bilateral visit in his capacity as the External Affairs Minister. It is also the first visit at this level since Natwar Singh came here in April 2005.

"Since then there has been no bilateral foreign minister visit and hence this is highly important," a senior official said.

Mukherjee will hold talks with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and other cabinet and administration officials including those of the National Security Council.

Rice and Mukherjee will be meeting at the State Department on Monday morning for a wide ranging discussion on several aspects of the broadening and deepening bilateral relations which will include the civilian nuclear initiative.

Though the nuclear deal is expected to dominate the parleys, an official said "a meeting at this level is not restricted to one or two issues."

Amid speculation that the civilian nuclear agreement, touted by the US as the "centrepiece" of its ties with India, has been put on backburner following threats from the Left parties to pull the rug, Mukherjee yesterday told the Parliament that the government can neither "mend" nor "end" the nuclear deal.

"We are in a stage where neither we can mend it nor end it. We are in the dialogue stage," Mukherjee said.
Source : PTI