Ackerman reminder: Calendar running, sets August deadline

Ackerman8217;s reminder to the India assumes significance, as the US Congress will finalise 8220;official business8221; transactions during its meetings of the House Rules Committee. This Committee will list the nuclear deal for business only if India is able to complete necessary formalities by August.

Ackerman said that the deal would have to be taken up during the next administration if India fails to firm up a Safeguards Agreement with IAEA and get a waiver from the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group NSG by August.

After meeting the PM8217;s Special Envoy on Nuclear Deal Shyam Saran and Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon, Ackerman made it clear that India will have to speed up the process, as the American Congress has very little time left.

8220;The Congress is an ongoing entity. We have a calendar8212;the calendar is running quickly,8221; he said after meeting Saran and Menon, during which he and five other members of the delegation were briefed about New Delhi8217;s efforts to implement the deal at the earliest.

8220;The processes have moved slower than we had hoped because of obvious reasons,8221; said Ackerman.