Mishra, who was talking to journalists on his return journey from Goa, where he spent a day on board the INS Viraat with Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, denied that the Agni II test launch had been postponed under pressure from the US Government. ``Let me assure you that American pressure does not work on this Government. If it did, there would have been no (nuclear) tests,'' he said.

The missile programme would continue, he went on to add, and the Agni would be tested. But he was noncommittal when asked if a technical problem had delayed the last two tests.

On the proposed visit of US President Bill Clinton, Mishra was morevocal. ``Can the US President visit a country against which it has applied sanctions? He (Clinton) also wants the atmosphere to be positive when he visits India and Pakistan,'' Mishra said.

He pointed out that New Delhi had received indications that moves were now underway both in the US Senate and the Congress on the suspension of sanctions.

``If the sanctions are removed, there will be a better atmosphere in this country to enable the Government to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). But that is not in the hands of the US administration, it is in the hands of the Congress,'' he said.

Lauding the ``path-breaking'' Lahore visit of the PM, he said there was no difference in the attitude of India and Pakistan on the CTBT.

On the continued Indo-Pakistan renewed dialogue, Mishra said, Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs) after the Lahore visit would continue. A team of experts, at the level of joint secretaries, is expected to meet in Islamabad shortly. He, however, said it was still too earlyto set a date for Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's visit.

On the National Security Advisory Board, Mishra said that five sub-groups on nuclear security, science and technology, internal affairs, external affairs and economic security had been established and that the nuclear doctrine would be out by the end of April.

On the bus service to Dhaka, he said the poor condition of roads from Calcutta to the border of Bangladesh had delayed the service.