'N Korean N-test has not changed US stand on N-deal'

Apparently responding to proliferation hawks in the United States, the Bush administration on Friday said North Korea's nuclear test did not alter its view on the importance of Indo-US civil nuclear deal, which has bipartisan support and remains Washington's top concern.

The nuclear test by North Korea has 'not changed our position at all' on the deal, US Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns said at a roundtable with Indian journalists.

'North Korea has now fully exited from the Non Proliferation regime,' he pointed out.

As the Senate's approval on the bill giving legislative stamp to the deal is awaited, critics of the agreement in the US have cited Pyongyang's test to caution the Bush administration against making exemption in US law for nuclear commerce with India.

State Department officials have, however, brushed aside any comparison between Pyongyang and New Delhi on the nuclear front citing India's functional democracy and export control systems and the absence of these in North Korea.

Describing the deal as the 'symbolic centre' of strategic ties between India and the US, Burns said: "We hope very much that the Senate will be able to vote on the legislation. We are gratified for the bipartisan support."

The civil nuclear legislation is the 'top legislative priority in the lame duck session of the Senate,' he said, adding that it was in the best interest of the US and India and is the 'symbolic centre in the strategic relationship between the two countries.'

Burns said it was really upto the Senate to schedule a vote on the enabling legislation.

Pointing out that Congress has had a very busy legislative calendar, which includes the November 7 elections, Burns said: "We have to have some sympathy for the Congressional schedule."

Asked why Pakistan's name did not figure in the North Korean nuclear test, he said: "The role of Pakistan through A Q Khan network (in proliferation) is very well known. We do not walk away from that but Pakistan is doing every thing we can do now. But the focus should be on North Korea."

To a question on the Mumbai blasts, Burns said it was not proper to share information in public. "It is not appropriate for the US to get involved publically."

Burns said he is leading a high-level delegation to India next month. The dates for the visit are being finalized but it will be before the US economic delegation in India, he added.

Burns sought to dismiss suggestions that India's reported support for Venezuela, whose President Hugo Chavez has been leading a campaign against American President George W Bush, would hit Indo-US ties.

"We have excellent relationship with India and nothing has happened negatively last month. Sovereign nations have a right to their own views. Therefore, one issue should not be set up as litmus test," he said, adding there was no sense of disappointment or crisis.

Noting that terrorism was a great challenge to US, Burns said the terrorist threat remains for US and its friends and allies.