As India and the US started redrafting the text of NSG waiver, Washington has said it is working in a focussed manner to push the process with an aim to conclude the civil nuclear deal by early next month.

"Our principle focus right now has been on the India civil nuclear deal, having worked through the IAEA, now working through the NSG, and still trying to get into a position to make the appropriate presidential determinations in early September," US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice told reporters on way to Tel Aviv.

She was responding when asked whether developments in Georgia will affect the US-Russia civilian nuclear deal.

Clearance from the 45-nation is a key step in the implementation of the Indo-US civil nuclear deal after which it has to be subjected to a final vote in the US Congress, which will be meeting on September 8 for the last session during the Bush administration.

The comments by Rice came as Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon met US Under Secretary of State William Burns in Washington to discuss issues related to redrafting of the text of the waiver which is to be presented before the NSG at its next meeting in Vienna on September 4-5.

NSG waiver

Menon and Burns are understood to have discussed how to strike a balance in the draft so that it addresses the apprehensions of the sceptic NSG members without any "conditions" being attached to it.

The Foreign Secretary also met US Acting National Security Adviser James Jeffrey during which the same issue was discussed.

The NSG, at its August 21-22 meeting, failed to arrive at a consensus for the waiver for India as several countries raised non-proliferation issues and wanted amendments in the draft.

The NSG nod is essential to allow India to engage in civil nuclear cooperation with the international community, ending its 34-year long isolation in the field.

The countries having reservations, particularly New Zealand, Austria, Switzerland, insisted on including a
language that would address their non-proliferation concerns as India has a strategic nuclear programme despite which it is not a signatory to the NPT.

These countries are wanting provisions in the draft which would specify that India will be denied enrichment and reprocessing right and cooperation will end automatically if New Delhi conducts an atomic test in the future.

India, on its part, has made it clear that it will not accept any conditions in the waiver that would bind the
country and suggested that it would walk out if any "prescriptive" elements are incorporated in the text.

Asserting that India will not allow itself to be pushed, Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Anil Kakodkar on Monday said New Delhi wants civil nuclear cooperation with the world but it "does not mean at any cost".

After the NSG failed to arrive at a consensus at its last meeting, questions are being raised as to whether the US had done its bit adequately in garnering support as the onus was on it.

In view of this, US Ambassador to India David Mulford on Monday issued a statement, saying Washington would be working "vigorously", along with New Delhi, in persuading NSG countries to support the initiative.