The Hindu : National : Do not back U.S. stand on Iran: Karat

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Monday, Nov 21, 2005

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Do not back U.S. stand on Iran: Karat

Special Correspondent

Tremendous U.S. pressure on India

HYDERABAD: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) wants the Centre to come out with an assurance that it will not support any U.S. move to refer Iran's nuclear programme to the Security Council.

The crucial meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency to discuss the Iranian issue is slated for November 24. "The Government should clearly state that it will not take any position in the efforts to take Iran to the UNSC," CPI (M) general secretary Prakash Karat said.

Participating in a convention on "Independent foreign policy," organised jointly by the CPI (M), the CPI, the RSP, the Samajwadi Party and the Janata Dal (S) here on Sunday, Mr. Karat said there was tremendous U.S. pressure on the Indian Government to continue the stand adopted on September 24, when India signed the resolution supporting the U.S. action to refer Iran to the UNSC. "The country fears that its agreement on cooperation in nuclear power generation will not work otherwise."

The fact, however, remained that the country's energy requirements could be met only with oil and gas and it could not afford to sever ties with oil-producing countries. The U.S., however, was against the cooperation between West Asia and South-East Asia as their synergies would help form a major energy grid in the region. "While India is proceeding towards setting up a gas pipeline with Iran, the U.S. has threatened Pakistan with sanctions if it permitted the gas pipeline," Mr. Karat pointed out.

Given this background, the Government's decision to sign the resolution had come as a shock, he said. From its earlier stand on insisting that Iran's nuclear programme be settled in the IAEA through consensus, the country took an overnight decision that virtually betrayed its foreign policy as well as the decision of other countries such as South Africa and Brazil, which refused to condemn Iran.

Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh criticised the Government for taking the "pro-U.S. decision" without consulting the Congress, the Cabinet and the UPA allies. He faulted a section of the media for criticising the Left's efforts to rally support for Iran. Manoj Bhattacharya (RSP) and S. Sudhakar Reddy (CPI) spoke.

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