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Wednesday, Sep 12, 2007
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UPA-Left panel to hold talks on implications of Hyde Act

Gargi Parsai

Timeframe for committee to come out with its conclusions not discussed

Photo: Ramesh Sharma

TOWARDS CONSENSUS: Kapil Sibal, Sitaram Yechury, Prakash Karat, Pranab Mukherjee, A.K. Antony and T.R. Baalu (at the background) after the UPA-Left committee meeting on the nuclear deal in New Delhi on Tuesday. Omita Paul, Adviser to the External Affairs Minister, is at right. —

NEW DELHI: The United Progressive Alliance-Left committee on the India-United States nuclear agreement, at its first meeting on Tuesday, decided to hold “structured discussions” on the implications of the Hyde Act and self-reliance in the nuclear sector.

Convener of the committee and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said the committee decided to frame broad issues for discussion. The panel would also discuss the implications of the agreement on foreign policy and security cooperation.

Note circulated

At the outset, Mr. Mukherjee detailed the events leading to the committee’s formation and its objective. He is believed to have circulated an “informal personal note” on the agreement.

The Left leaders agreed on the broad framework and the date for the next meeting.

The issue of setting a time frame for the committee to come out with its conclusions was not discussed. India’s participation at the International Atomic Energy Agency meeting was also not taken up.

However, Revolutionary Socialist Party leader T.J. Chandrachoodan submitted a three-page note that said the agreement held an “unmistakable threat to India’s sovereignty and compromised the nation’s future security.”

The committee’s next meeting is to be held on September 19. Another one is scheduled for October first week.

All members of the committee — Congress leaders A.K. Antony, P. Chidambaram, Kapil Sibal, Saifuddin Soz and Prithviraj Chauhan; Sharad Pawar (NCP), Lalu Prasad (RJD); T.R. Baalu (DMK); and Left leaders, Prakash Karat and Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M), A.B. Bardhan and D. Raja (CPI), Mr. Chandrachoodan and Debabrata Biswas (Forward Bloc) — attended the meeting.

CPI general secretary A.B. Bardhan told journalists that the committee framed the issues to be discussed.

Asked whether the confusion over operationalisation of the deal was resolved, he said, “What is the confusion? There is no confusion.”

CPI leader D. Raja told The Hindu that the Left parties would frame concrete objections to the deal and the UPA would come up with a structured response at the next meeting.

On the note submitted by Mr. Chandrachoodan, he said: “The Left parties are together and they are moving together. We stand by our joint statement of August 7 and 20.”

Mr. Yechury said a broad framework was identified. “We will call experts and scientists for future meetings.”

Mr. Lalu Prasad said it was a complex issue, which could not be settled in a day. “But we are hopeful of resolving it.”

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