NEW DELHI: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has asked the Manmohan Singh Government to make a statement in Parliament on the current status of negotiations of the Indo-U.S. civil nuclear deal.

The statement should also comment on the progress of the India-Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project, in the light of the letter written by seven U.S. Congressmen to Dr. Singh, demanding that New Delhi terminate cooperation with Tehran in the energy and military spheres, the Polit Bureau said.

Terming the letter the "latest instance of U.S. pressure," the CPI (M) pointed out that it was the second one in a fortnight. The earlier letter was signed by eight Senators.

The party said the Hyde Act, passed by the U.S. Congress, set out "unacceptable terms" on how India should conduct itself on Iran and other foreign policy issues.

The CPI (M) said it had repeatedly pointed out that the nuclear cooperation agreement entailed a much wider strategic alignment, which would seriously damage India's foreign policy and strategic autonomy.

The 123 agreement should not be negotiated with the U.S. without all the issues, raised in the Prime Minister's statement in Parliament, being clarified.

"With the 123 agreement being negotiated and the U.S. mounting steady pressure, it is imperative that the Government make a statement in Parliament about both the status of the negotiations and on how the Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline project is progressing. The Parliament and the people have to be informed on these two vital issues,'' the CPI (M) said.

The CPI also condemned the U.S. interference and asked the Government not to succumb to it.

In a statement, the Central Secretariat said that at a time when the nuclear deal had reached a critical stage of finalising the 123 agreement, the U.S. was exerting pressure on India, through various devices and lobbying by its Senators and Congressmen, to "sever" ties with Iran.

"This is a gross interference in our affairs. The U.S. is virtually dictating what India should do in order to secure the nuclear deal. The Communist Party of India condemns the U.S. interference and urges the UPA Government not to succumb to U.S. pressure."

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