PM can sign nuclear treaty with Bush on Congress OK: Envoy

New Delhi, Sep 9 (PTI) Keen on a quick wrap up of the Indo-US nuclear deal, the United States Tuesday said the 123 agreement could be signed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh President Bush during his visit to Washington later this month if the treaty is adopted by the Congress by then.

"We are now in the final phase... The 123 agreement is to be presented before the U.S. Congress. That process is ongoing. We hope to do it in the next few days and then hope for action (by the Congress)," Ambassador David C. Mulford told a press conference here.

He said the "bipartisan" support that was there in the U.S. Congress during the passage of 123 agreement last year still exists and hoped for an early approval of the pact by the American legislature by an 'up-and-down' vote.

Mulford said the 123 agreement could be signed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with President George W. Bush
during his planned visit to Washington later this month if
the pact is passed by the Congress by then.

"If the agreement is not passed by the U.S. Congress
during its current session which ends on September 26, there
is possibility of a 'lame-duck' session after the Presidential
polls in November," he said.
Mulford said senior officials of the U.S.
Administration are engaged in a dialogue with the key leaders
of the Congress with regard to the introduction of the
agreement.

On the requirement of 30-day notice for introduction of
any document in the U.S. Congress for approval, he said there
has been a precedent of waiving this requirement.PTI AKK