PM still hopeful about N-deal

NEW DELHI: Making it clear that he has not given up on the Indo-US nuclear deal, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday told a group of Indian-Americans that he was still hopeful of a solution to push the agreement.

Singh also told the group led by US-India Political Action Committee (USINPAC) Chairman Sanjay Puri that he was still hopeful of a soultion to the logjam over the nuclear deal which meets the assurances he had given to Parliament.

"We got a sense that he is open to the idea of discussion in Parliament on the deal," USINPAC Director Robinder Sachdev told PTI after a meeting with Singh.

A 10-member delegation, comprising top politically active Indian-American businessmen, is in the capital to interact with leaders across the political spectrum and understand their stand on the nuclear deal with the US.

Sachdev said the prime minister also noted that the BJP had opposed the deal citing certain strategic issues and expressed readiness to convey to them that the strategic component has been taken care of.

He said Singh also told them that the deal did not compromise India's position to pursue an independent foreign policy. Singh also thanked the Indian-American community for backing the deal and lobbying in its favour in their adopted homeland.

"The delegation is visiting India to educate themselves about the difficulties faced by the deal and convey it back to the Indian-American community," Sachdev said. The delegation is meeting BJP President Rajnath Singh, a section of Left leaders and some union ministers tomorrow.