NEW DELHI, MAY 9: External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Friday spoke to US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice after Washington requested New Delhi to intervene and try to impress upon Myanmar to accept US aid for the cyclone-affected areas.

While India did try, sources said, Myanmar is still not comfortable with American aid workers entering its country and distributing aid. However, upon India’s efforts, the US aircraft have been able to land in Yangon where the aid cargo is being unloaded.

Mukherjee is learnt to have conveyed this to Rice and explained to her the need to move gradually with the military regime in Yangon which is sensitive to western presence on its soil. An impatient US continues to remain annoyed with Myanmar’s attitude.

The conversation between Mukherjee and Rice took place on Friday evening. It may be noted that India had intervened in the past as well to facilitate the second visit of UN Special Envoy Ebrahim Gambari into Myanmar.

During the conversation, sources said, the nuclear deal also figured. Mukherjee is understood to have conveyed that the Government is trying to resolve the internal political differences over the deal.

Mukherjee’s telephonic conversation with the US Secretary took place, on a day when he was going to South Africa for the IBSA meeting. It may be noted that South Africa and Brazil are key members of the NSG and the NSG plenary is starting in the third week of May.

The Nuclear deal is, at present, stuck because of the Left pressure which has asked the Government not to proceed with the deal.