The United States on Thursday said 'steady progress' was being made to rope in Nuclear Suppliers' Group members to end India's nuclear isolation as some countries insisted on inclusion of a specific commitment in the draft waiver for stopping nuclear cooperation if New Delhi conducts an atomic test.
Coverage: Indo-US Nuclear Deal
Raising their concerns at the two-day Nuclear Suppliers Group's meeting in Vienna, some countries felt India could use the NSG exemption to further its military nuclear programme with suggestions being made for changes even in the revised draft waiver placed by the US before the 45-nation cartel.
A number of countries like New Zealand, Austria, Norway, Ireland, The Netherlands and Switzerland were not satisfied with the present draft even as the US pushed for a consensus by projecting the waiver as a 'historic opportunity' to bring the largest democracy and one of the biggest economies into the global nuclear mainstream.
The first day of the crucial meeting saw sceptic countries demand a commitment in the draft that nuclear cooperation will end if India conducts a nuclear test and favoured denial of enrichment and reprocessing rights to New Delhi.
"The US believes firmly that the steps we are considering for India will strengthen non-proliferation and help to welcome one of the world's largest economies and biggest democracies more fully into the global fold," American Undersecretary of State William Burns told media persons on the sidelines of the meeting.
"I believe we are making steady progress in this process and we will continue to make progress," he said.
The US official described the discussions as 'constructive and clearly aimed at reaching an early consensus'.
A number of countries raised 'important questions that need to be addressed', Burns said.
Underlining that there was a 'historic opportunity' to end India's three decades of isolation in the nuclear field, he said 'that opportunity warrants extraordinary efforts we are making'.
He said the US is determined to continue to do 'all we can by working with NSG partners and India to realise that opportunity'.
Two sessions of the meeting were held on Thursday with a big four-hour break during which the diplomats are believed to have consulted their respective governments over the draft.
The revised draft was prepared by the US in consultation with India after at least 15 countries sought amendments in the original text during the last NSG meeting on August 21-22.
"There are concerns about (nuclear) testing," said a European diplomat who attended the first day of the two-day meeting.
"The reprocessing facility is not available to even some countries, which have signed the Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty then why should the exemption be made for India, which is not a signatory to the NPT. Such are the questions," the diplomat said requesting anonymity.
Another diplomat, who also did not wish to be identified, said changes were required to be made in the present draft to meet concerns of the countries.
An official of one of the sceptic countries said they recognise India's need for energy and the importance New Delhi attaches to the civil nuclear deal with the US.
"(But) we want results that will benefit everybody. A number of measures need to be added to the current package before it can be considered to be a net gain for the world," the official said.
Appearing to suggest that India should sign the NPT, which is the pillar of international security architecture', he said the waiver should 'improve' non-proliferation system rather than 'undermine' it.
India is keeping its 'fingers crossed' and hoping that the US would be able to convince the nuclear cartel for clearing the way for nuclear commerce.