NEW DELHI, July 4 (Xinhua) -- India and the United States (US) are "nearing the end" of civil nuclear negotiations as they get ready for another round of talks on a bilateral civil nuclear cooperation pact July 16, Indo-Asian News Service (IANS) quoted US envoy David C. Mulford as saying here Wednesday.

    "We are nearing the end of the road (on civil nuclear negotiations). These are complex negotiations," Mulford said at The American Centre here on the sidelines of the celebrations to mark the American Independence Day.

    Underlining the intricacies of issues that needed to be resolved before the two sides can clinch bilateral nuclear pact, also called 123 Agreement, the US envoy stressed that negotiations are "highly complex" both from the political and technical points of view.

    In his Independence Day speech, the envoy said the US saw India as a "natural partner" with which it shares common values of liberty, tolerance and diversity, not as an ally.

    Indian Security Adviser (NSA) M.K. Narayanan and Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon will visit Washington July 16 to sort out issues relating to the 123 Agreement with the US.