Washington, December 23, 2005 (PTI)

US President George W Bush along with the First Lady Laura Bush are looking forward to their India visit in early 2006 as relations between the two countries are "poised for a very significant advance in the coming months." "It was conveyed to me that President Bush and the First Lady are very much looking forward to the forthcoming visit to India," Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran told reporters at the end of his two-day official visit to the US.

"I in turn assured the Secretary of State, the National Security Advisor and my interlocutor at the State Department, Nicholas Burns that a very warm welcome awaits President Bush in India and that we would like this visit not only to be a demonstration of the transformation which has taken place in India-US relations during the past year but would also have a lot of substance in that relationship." Saran had a hectic schedule here with his meetings spread over at the Departments of State, Defence, Commerce, Energy and Capitol Hill.

"It was a very crowded agenda...And I go back very satisifed with the progress that has been achieved in the relationship between our two countries. We have achieved considerable advance in terms of the implementation of the various understandings which were reached on July 18 and I believe we have a very good foundation for taking our relations to a much higher level," Saran remarked.

State Department spokesperson Sean McCormack said the exact dates for the President's trip have not been set, adding there was no question of talking about any "postponement" even if the civilian nuclear deal did not materialise prior to Bush's visit.

"I don't think anybody's thinking about really pushing it off," McCormack said in response to a question. McCormack said that the talks are "intended to lay the groundwork for the President's trip to India coming up later -- early next year. And we're working through a wide variety of different issues. One of those issues is the civil nuclear issue with the Indian Government."