A top U.S. diplomat says Washington and India could reach a new deal by early 2006 on U.S. cooperation for India's civilian nuclear program.

Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns made the comment in New York Tuesday ahead of talks this week in New Delhi. Mr. Burns said he will work with Indian officials at the talks to set up a timetable for separating the country's civilian and military nuclear programs. He said the separation is a key condition to the nuclear agreement, and that he believes the deal has "substantial support" among U.S. lawmakers.

In July, President Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh signed a deal on providing U.S. support to India's civilian nuclear efforts.