WASHINGTON: Amid growing "frustration" in Washington over talks on a bilateral pact to operationalise the civil nuclear deal, top officials of India and the U.S. met here on Tuesday to iron out differences that have been nagging the talks for the last few months.

Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon met U.S. Under Secretary Nicholas Burns to sort out issues in the 123 agreement such as right over reprocessing of spent fuel, nuclear testing and perennial supply of fuel for safeguarded Indian atomic facilities.

Both sides have expressed commitment to conclude the negotiations on the agreement as early as possible but the U.S. has recently aired its ``frustration'' at the slow pace of negotiations.

India's insistence on right to reprocess spent nuclear fuel and perennial cooperation even if it were to conduct an atomic test are among the differences the two sides are seeking to wriggle out of.

Prior to Tuesday's meeting, the two officials held informal discussions on Monday evening.

Mr. Menon will also meet U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, indicating the seriousness with which the two sides are pursuing the matter.

Significantly, the meeting between Mr. Menon and Mr. Burns takes place 10 days after the two sides held expert-level talks in the South African city of Cape Town.

Indian officials had said that "some progress" was made during the discussions but some differences remained for which further parleys were required.

— PTI

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