The Hindu : Front Page : More of a problem of politics: Kakodkar

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 19, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Front Page

Front Page

More of a problem of politics: Kakodkar

New Delhi: The stalled India-United States civilian nuclear deal is “more of a problem of politics,” according to Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Anil Kakodkar.

“The safeguards pact with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is not final yet,” he told NDTV.

Mr. Kakodkar hoped that differences on the vexed issue would be sorted out soon to help the country step up nuclear power generation.

“It is more a problem of politics. I won’t be in a position to answer that question,” he said to a query on when he expected the deal to be clinched.

‘Sooner than later’

Asked if more needs to be achieved on the safeguards with the IAEA, he said: “nothing is final till everything is final and everything is obviously not final. I only hope that things [related to the nuclear deal] work out sooner than later.”

‘Inputs from outside’

The U.S. is pressing India to expedite the procedures for implementing the agreement, while New Delhi has sought some more time to achieve a political consensus on the issue. Mr. Kakodkar said he would be able to accelerate the domestic programme to produce nuclear power if he got “inputs from outside.”

“In any case, the domestic efforts are on and we hope to meet the domestic programme needs on the basis of domestic strengths. If external inputs are available so much the better,” he said.

Asked whether the stalemate was affecting the domestic programme, he said, “the fact is the domestic programme was 10,000 MW. The question is what rate I will be able to produce it and how fast. If we get inputs from outside we can do that much faster.”— PTI

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page

News Update

Stories in this Section

Sarabjit’s hanging put off to June 1

“Nepal situation not misread”

An inconvenient truth in Chennai

International news agencies not to cover IPL

Kolkata Knight Riders outplay Bangalore Royal Challengers