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Sunday, Dec 17, 2006
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Review deal, says V.P. Singh

Special Correspondent

Raises eight points of concern

NEW DELHI: The former Prime Minister, V.P. Singh, on Saturday urged the Manmohan Singh Government to review its decision to go ahead with the nuclear deal with the United States.

Raising eight points of concern in a letter to the Prime Minister, he said the deal indirectly deprived the country of its right to undertake nuclear tests, besides seriously jeopardising its strategic interests. "It legally binds us and declares cut off of all nuclear export we were ever to test."

Mr. Singh said by importing expensive uranium-based reactors, India was more or less throttling the option of using thorium, reserves of which were in abundance. As only 3 per cent of the nation's energy requirement was being met through nuclear energy and as it had alternative sources of energy through thermal and coal, there was no pressing requirement to bend to Washington's pressure.

The deal included a bar on building strategic fuel reserves that were essential for uninterrupted operation of nuclear reactors, he said, adding that a Tarapur like situation could not be ruled out.

By investing in uranium-based reactors, the country would become forever dependent on the U.S. for fuel supply, which could be used as an instrument to pressure it to toe the U.S. line.

The security and safeguard of the existing reactors had been one of the country's major concerns, and with addition of these reactors, the exposure to terror attacks would increase, he said. Also, transfer of technology had not been not included.

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