No progress after Indian leaders meet on controversial US nuclear deal

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
A meeting Wednesday between the Indian government and its communist allies failed to settle an impasse over a landmark nuclear deal with the United States. Faced with a choice of breaking with the communists and heading to early elections or abandoning the deal, seen as a cornerstone in the strengthening partnership between New Delhi and Washington, the government chose to stall for more time. "The committee completed it's discussions on all aspects of the Indo-US civil nuclear cooperation agreement. The next meeting of the committee, to be convened in due course, will finalize its findings," said Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee, reading from a terse prepared statement after the meeting. He declined to answer questions.