The Bush Administration and Congressman Tom Lantos are tightlipped on the meeting between Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns and Lantos to discuss the lawmaker's compromise legislation in place of the administration's Bill on the Indo-US civilian nuclear agreement.
Lantos had suggested the compromise legislation, saying that while 'many lawmakers supported the nuclear deal, many others were opposed to it'.
Though both parties refused to divulge the details of the meeting, rediff India Abroad has learned that Burns -- on the eve of his visit to London to meet Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran -- had indicated to Lantos, the ranking Democrat on the House International Relations Committee, that the administration will appreciate it if he holds his compromise legislation and instead pushed for the administration's legislation.
The administration wants to amend the Atomic Energy Act with an India-specific exemption to facilitate the implementation of the nuclear deal.
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Burns made it known to Lantos that if his compromise legislation is also thrown into the mix, it may delay the entire process for weeks or months to come.
A spokesperson for Lantos said he has not decided if or when he would formally introduce his compromise legislation and that a draft copy of it has only been made available to Congressman Henry Hyde, Illinois Republican and chairman of the Committee.
Several other members of the Committee, contacted by rediff India Abroad said they had not been provided with a copy of the compromise legislation by Lantos nor were they invited for the meeting between him and Burns.
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