Burns denied that he was against Tharoor as UNSG.
We remain hopeful that we will be able to achieve this agreement, the US Under Secretary of State said.
Terming as "outrageous" Iran's comparison of its nuclear programme with India, the United States Friday said Tehran needs to face the "penalty" as it had crossed "so many international red lines".
Bolton, who is the chief US envoy to the United Nations, said involving the Security Council will not displace the IAEA, but will "strengthen the hand" of the agency in dealing with Iran.
The two countries are aiming at sorting out differences particularly on issues like reprocessing right, perpetuity of fuel supplies and continuance of the civilian nuclear cooperation if India were to conduct an atomic test.
'If we approach the 123 Agreement as a device to open the door to international cooperation and not as a fundamental document, it may be possible to find the middle path soon.'
Deputy spokesman Tom Casey said Burns has 'spoken about his willingness' to go to India but that a trip has not been formally scheduled.
The key negotiators of the two sides will aim at resolving differences on aspects like reprocessing right and continuity of civil nuclear cooperation if India were to conduct an atomic test in future.
The senior State Department official stressed not only the kind of distances that have been traversed in the last several months -- over and beyond the civilian nuclear initiative -- but also in looking at what is in store down the road.
"I know that there were some press reports about whether or not he was going to be going this week or next week. I am not aware that he has any travel plans, at this point, to go to India," McCormack said.
'If they are implying that they are going to have Congressional action by the time Bush goes to India, I believe the administration is setting out a very tough task for itself,' feels South Asia expert Robert M Hathaway.
Iran accused the under secretary of state of breaching established diplomatic norms by issuing a statement against it in a third country.
IAEA meeting could vote against Iran: US
Ahead of his visit, Burns said, "My trip to New Delhi is to focus on agreement on a timetable that will lead to decisions in the US Congress to change our law and ultimate decision of the Indian Government to meet their commitments."
"It is not going to be replicated to other countries," US Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns said.
India has agreed to separate its nuclear and military facilities, which would take time and the US has to change domestic laws to resume nuclear supplies to Indian reactors.
'President Bush seems to have been impressed with the candour, the credibility, the honesty of purpose of the prime minister.' National Security Adviser M K Narayanan in an exclusive interview.
During the Saran-Burns meeting, the Indian side is expected to assess what steps the US government is taking to ensure that the deal is cleared by the Congress.
The United States has dismissed reports of propping up India as a counterweight to China by agreeing to scrap the 30-year-old ban on nuclear exports to New Delhi.
Burns, the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs who played a key role in clinching the deal, will address a talk on "India and Pakistan: On the Heels of President Bush's Visit" on Monday.
Over the next three days, Burns will have discussions with Indian officials on advancing the new strategic partnership between the two countries.
Burns was the Chief Guest and spoke at the Republic Day Reception hosted by the Indian Ambassador Ronen Sen at his residence on Friday.
"It is surprising that on such a vital issue, the government has sought to keep political parties, Parliament and the nuclear scientific community in the dark," said the CPI (M).
The Iranian nuclear issue, which threatens to snowball into a major issue, is also likely to figure at the two-day talks.
New Delhi is said to have given back the blueprint saying it was capable of going about on its own.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spoke to Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and\nhis reaction was "constructive" and "not overly problematic."
The US response to this proposal would be known after Burns discusses it with Indian officials when he is in Delhi this week.
Noting that 'progress' was being made in parleys, the sources said the two countries were making 'every effort to conclude or substantially conclude the deal before the visit of President Bush.'
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