The United Nations has reacted with gusto and the United States with caution, to India's move to sign the nuclear test ban treaty after successful conclusion of its strategic talks with Washington.

As Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee signalled in his speech before the UN General Assembly that New Delhi has overcome its long standing aversion to the treaty, including some of the clauses previously objected to, Secretary General Kofi Annan said India's statement ``increases the momentum'' for implementing the test ban treaty. Washington was more cautious in its welcome, with President Bill Clinton merely saying it is his ``strong hope that India and Pakistan will join the list of signatories to the CTBT and thereby reduce the nuclear tensions in SouthAsia.''

Secretary of State Madeliene Albright too has said India and Pakistan were ``moving in the right direction'' but has indicated that much more needed to be done. The rather circumspect reactions suggest that US officials are still examining the conditional offers made by both India and Pakistan in speeches by their leaders at the UN. While India has said its signing of the treaty is contingent on the successful completion of its talks with ``key interlocutors,'' Pakistan has been more direct in signalling that it will sign only if it is helped out with an economic bail-out and sanctions against it is lifted.

Meanwhile, The White House is yet to decide whether Clinton will reschedule a cancelled visit to the sub-continent. Clinton's visit was cancelled after the two countries conducted nuclear tests in May last. In his statement, Clinton also urged the senate to ``give its advice and consent as early as possible next year'' on the ratification of the CTBT.