The Hindu : National : Can sign deal with minority government: Boucher

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Friday, Mar 14, 2008
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Can sign deal with minority government: Boucher

New Delhi: The U.S. has made it clear that it is not averse to wrapping up the nuclear deal with a minority government in India, seeking to set at rest questions over the fate of the agreement if Left parties were to withdraw support to the ruling UPA government.

“Our basic government position is that we can sign an agreement with a duly-constituted government, whatever its political status,” U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher said in an interview to Outlook magazine.

He was responding when asked about External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s comment that a minority government “cannot, need not and should not sign a major agreement” like the nuclear deal.

“As long as it is duly-constituted government of the country, we can sign a deal with it,” Mr. Boucher said.

There have been questions as to whether the 123 agreement can be signed if the Left parties, which are opposed to the nuclear deal, withdraw support to the minority Manmohan Singh government.

Asked whether Indian officials discussed the possibility of signing a deal with a minority or a caretaker government, Mr. Boucher said: “I don’t remember it actually coming up at all during my meetings with Indian officials.” — PTI

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