senior U.S. official says he sees "steady progress" in talks under way in Vienna on a deal that would let the United States sell peaceful nuclear technology to India.
U.S. undersecretary of state for political affairs William Burns has told reporters that Washington believes giving New Delhi access to nuclear fuel and technology would actually strengthen — and not undermine — nonproliferation efforts.
Burns says a second round of contentious talks that resumed Thursday are "making steady progress," and he says the U.S. remains optimistic that a deal can be reached.
The talks were convened by the Nuclear Suppliers Group, the global body that governs the legal trade in nuclear materials.
Several small nations are trying to block the deal.