The Hindu : National : Stand on Iran will be based on draft for IAEA meet

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 01, 2006

National

National

Stand on Iran will be based on draft for IAEA meet

Special Correspondent

Prime Minister Manmohan briefs Left parties on the issue

— Photo: V. Sudershan

Left leaders Prakash Karat and D. Raja address mediapersons after a meeting with the Prime Minister in New Delhi on Tuesday.

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday told the Left parties that his Government would firm up its stand on the Iran nuclear issue based on the draft resolution for the February 2 meeting in Vienna of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Left to follow suit

The Left parties, represented by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary, Prakash Karat, and CPI national secretary, D. Raja, said they too would peruse the draft resolution and give their views.

The Government briefed the Left leaders on the decision of the five permanent members that the matter would be referred to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), without attendant sanctions or action. The UNSC would in turn await the UN Secretary General's report that would be taken up at its next meeting.

The Government's understanding was that it was unlikely that the issue would come up for confrontation immediately.

The issue of privatisation of airports, U.S. President George Bush's visit to India next month and opening up of foreign direct investment in retail trade also came up during the 50-minute meeting, attended by Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran, National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan and Principal Secretary to Prime Minister T.K.A. Nair.

Opposition

Mr. Karat conveyed the Left opposition to privatisation of the Mumbai and Delhi airports and its support to modernisation through the Airports Authority of India (AAI) employees' alternative plan. Mr. Raja, who took part in the demonstration organised by AAI employees on Tuesday, conveyed the workers' sentiments.

The Left leaders sought to know what prompted the Government to announce the decision on opening up retail trade even as the Left parties' note was under discussion.

It is understood that the Prime Minister said what was allowed was only in regard to single brand. In any case, Commerce Minister Kamal Nath had said that the issue was discussed with the Left parties.

Manmohan's concern

Dr. Singh expressed concern over the decision of the Left parties to hold demonstrations during the visit of Mr. Bush. To a suggestion on a rethink, the Left leaders reiterated the resolve of the parties to hold peaceful demonstrations wherever Mr. Bush went. They said the Left stood opposed to Washington's policies.

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