The Hindu : Front Page : Mulford meets Saran on nuclear deal

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Thursday, Sep 20, 2007
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Mulford meets Saran on nuclear deal

Special Correspondent

UPA government should explain its stand, says CPI(M)

Shyam Saran

NEW DELHI: U.S. Ambassador to India David Mulford on Wednesday called on Prime Minister’s Special Envoy on the nuclear deal, Shyam Saran, to discuss the future of the pact. He sought to assess the stance the government might take in the light of the demand by the Left parties to hold it in abeyance for six months, said informed sources.

Mr. Mulford met Mr. Saran, a former Foreign Secretary, a day after he urged India to take the “last steps” towards operationalising the deal.

This runs counter to the plea, on the same day, of Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Prakash Karat to the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government not to buckle under U.S. pressure and let Parliament debate the deal first.

The sources said Mr. Mulford also discussed the steps that should be taken to implement the deal within a few months.

The meeting took place ahead of a special session of the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), where the U.S. is likely to explain the implications of its pact with India. While an India-specific safeguard agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is the next step on the agenda, a unanimous clearance by the NSG would pave the way for India’s acceptance in the global civil nuclear fold.

David Mulford

The CPI(M) Polit Bureau reacted to Mr. Mulford’s observation that there should be no delay in the finalisation of the nuclear cooperation agreement.

“The UPA government should tell the country whether it plans to adhere to this [Mr. Mulford’s] time frame or examine the serious objections raised to the agreement,” it said in a statement.

The UPA should also keep in mind that the majority in Parliament was against proceeding with the agreement.

“More importantly,” pointed out the CPI(M), “by talking of moving from ‘123’ to ‘456’, the U.S. Ambassador has set out the contours of the ‘comprehensive relationship’ being forged with the U.S. which encompassed defence, economic and strategic collaboration.”

“The Ambassador has only confirmed that U.S.-India relations is broader. This is precisely what the Left parties have been saying that the nuclear cooperation agreement must not be seen in isolation from the wider strategic alliance being forged with the U.S.,” the statement said.

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