Reiterating that the Bush Administration was “determined” to move forward with the “strategic relationship” with India, Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns today said the nuclear agreement with India remained the “top concern and top priority” of the US Government.

Burns, the pointman of the Bush Administration on the civilian nuclear deal with India that is now stuck up in the Senate, at a meeting with the Indian media at Washington, said the Administration was still hopeful that the Senate would be able to vote when they come back after the November 7 elections for the lame duck session.

For the Indo-US nuclear agreement to be signed into a law, it is essential that it is passed by the Congress. While the House of Representatives has already passed it, the deal is being held up in the Senate.

Burns, who is scheduled to visit India next month, said the Bill was the top legislative priority for the Bush Administration. It was for now the Senate leadership to schedule it, he said.

Responding to a question if the nuclear tests by North Korea would have any impact on the nuclear deal, Burns reiterated that the nuke tests had not changed the position at all. When asked of the US reaction, if India voted for Venezuela for the non-permanent Security Council seat, and referred to media reports that this will have an adverse impact on Indo-US relationship, Burns said: “I do not see any sense of disappointment or crisis.”

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