KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday said the exercise of separating India's civilian and military nuclear facilities was at "a fairly advanced stage."

Two groups were set up — one in India and the other in the United States — to discuss the implementation of the July 18 civilian nuclear deal with the U.S. The groups were "interacting."

The Prime Minister was answering questions from presspersons on board a special aircraft on his way to Kuala Lumpur.

Asked whether he was satisfied with the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) Board fixing an 8.5 per cent interest rate for the current year, Dr. Singh said it was not a question of his being satisfied or dissatisfied.

"It is a question of what the EPF Organisation can afford. We need the organisation to be strong financially. They should declare interest rates they can sustain. If they can sustain a higher rate [of interest], I will be very happy."

To a query whether there would be any political intervention to settle the issue, he said that even last year the government said there was no scope for budgetary support for EPF rate. "Any rate that has to be paid has to come out of the resources of the EPF Organisation."

On the terms of reference of the R.S. Pathak Inquiry Authority, appointed to look into the allegations contained in the Volcker Committee Report, Dr. Singh said these were spelt out in the notification on the setting up of the panel. "We have no proposal to tinker with that."

Asked whether the government would place the documents obtained by special envoy Virendra Dayal from the United Nations in Parliament, he said these papers were the property of the Pathak Inquiry Authority.

The Prime Minister promised that the Pathak panel report and the action taken report of the government would be made available to Parliament. "We are not going to keep anything hidden from Parliament."

PTI reports:

Dr. Singh parried a question about assigning the External Affairs portfolio ahead of the upcoming visits by two key heads of state. "The decision will be known when it comes," he said to a question when he would name a new External Affairs Minister.

French President Jacques Chirac is expected in February next and U.S. President George W. Bush is expected to come soon after. Dr. Singh has been keeping External Affairs with him after Natwar Singh was relieved of the charge.

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