The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : RSP to oppose talks with IAEA

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Wednesday, Nov 14, 2007
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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

RSP to oppose talks with IAEA

Special Correspondent

‘No change in stance of Left parties’

‘Reports of change in Left stance speculative’
Says Forward Bloc is also against holding talks

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: T.J. Chandrachoodan, RSP nominee on the United Progressive Alliance (UPA)-Left joint panel on the Indo-U.S. nuclear agreement, has made it clear that his party would not be privy to any decision that facilitates dialogue between India and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on the nuclear deal.

Prof. Chandrachoodan told a news conference here on Tuesday that his party saw no reason why the Left parties should change their opposition to negotiations with the IAEA.

The decision at all the five meetings of the joint panel was not to proceed with the negotiations unless and until there was a consensus decision to the contrary, he said.

The RSP leader said he did not expect the CPI(M) and the CPI to change their stand at the meeting of the joint committee scheduled to be held on Friday and termed reports suggesting a change of heart on the part of the two Communist parties ‘speculative.’

Asked whether he would withdraw from the joint panel if the proposal for commencement of dialogue with the IAEA gained wide acceptance, Prof. Chandrachoodan said he did not anticipate any such eventuality.

He disclosed that the Forward Bloc too was opposed to any change in the Left stand on the nuclear agreement. Forward Block general secretary Debabrata Biswas had called him over phone in the morning and expressed his concern about reports suggesting a possible change in the Left stand on the issue and had fully concurred with the RSP position. Asked whether he had spoken to the CPI(M) or CPI leaders on the subject, Prof. Chandrachoodan replied in the negative.

He pointed out that once the negotiations are allowed, there would be no turning back. No country would be able to begin negotiations on such a crucial issue as a major international nuclear agreement and suspend it half way for clarifications from back home. “Once you set the ball rolling, you cannot turn back,” he added.

Asked whether the RSP was voicing its apprehensions about a possible change in the stance of the two Communist parties on the issue, Prof. Chandrachoodan said his statement was not in response to what others were reported to be doing. He was only articulating his party’s stand on the issue and making it clear that if any discussions running contrary to the present understanding were on, the RSP had nothing to do with it.

The RSP leader said the sudden decision to hold the meeting of the joint panel and the reports appearing in the media had to be viewed against the backdrop of the last minute decision of the Indian side not to sign an agreement for nuclear cooperation with Russia during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Moscow.

The decision could only be seen as being the result of pressure being exerted on India by the U.S., he said.

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