The Hindu : Front Page : We won’t back out of nuclear deal: Pranab Mukherjee

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Nov 22, 2007
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We won’t back out of nuclear deal: Pranab Mukherjee

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The government is not contemplating backing out of the Indo-U.S. civil nuclear deal, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee told the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

When India completed negotiations for an India-specific safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency and for adjustment of guidelines with the Nuclear Suppliers Group, the deal would be sent to the U.S. Congress for approval for operationalisation, he said in a written reply.

Mr. Mukherjee said India and the U.S. agreed on the text of an “Agreement for Cooperation” that had received Cabinet approval.

To another question, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Prithviraj Chavan said India’s atomic programme could develop “much faster” if international cooperation was allowed.

Uranium in short supply

Replying to a query on the use of thorium for generation of atomic energy, he said India needed to have international cooperation to acquire uranium technology and fuel, which was insufficient in the country.

“The government is trying for international cooperation in this sector and also trying to convince the House to allow it to obtain uranium to speed up the process of atomic nuclear fuel,” Mr. Chavan said in a veiled reference to the Indo-U.S. deal.

Pointing out that all countries had uranium-based nuclear programmes, he said India was deficient in natural uranium and whatever reserves existed would be exhausted after some time.

“If the government is allowed to go for international cooperation, there will be enough uranium available that will speed up our nuclear programme much faster,” the Minister said.

He sought to scotch the impression that the government was not exploiting thorium, available in sufficient quantity, to develop the nuclear programme.

“India’s thorium utilisation technology is more advanced than anywhere in the world,” the Minister said, adding it did not need international cooperation to develop this.

“We will not delay by even one day ... having some kind of energy independence, if the House permits international cooperation.”

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