The Hindu : Front Page : UPA-Left committee to meet again to finalise findings

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Thursday, Jun 26, 2008
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UPA-Left committee to meet again to finalise findings

Vinay Kumar

Left submits note on why the government should not go to the IAEA

Photo: V. Sudershan (more reports on Page 14)

BREATHER FOR GOVERNMENT: External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury (left) address journalists in New Delhi on Wednesday. —

NEW DELHI: The United Progressive Alliance government and the Left parties on Wednesday averted a crisis, with the UPA-Left committee on the India-United States nuclear deal deciding to convene another meeting to finalise its findings.

After the committee’s ninth meeting that lasted nearly one-and-half hours, External Affairs Minister and committee convener Pranab Mukherjee read out a brief statement, saying the next meeting would be held in due course.

“The committee completed its discussions on all aspects of the India-U.S. Nuclear Cooperation Agreement. The next meeting of the committee, to be convened in due course, will finalise its findings,” Mr. Mukherjee said.

The Left parties submitted a detailed note, arguing why the government should not go ahead and seek the approval of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on the safeguards agreement.

Top sources in the Left parties told The Hindu that the note pointed to the November 16, 2007 understanding that “the findings of the committee will be taken into account before the operationalisation of the India-U.S. Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement.”

Another point stressed in the note was that after going to the IAEA, it would be the U.S. which would take further steps in getting the waiver from the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). This would put the deal on “auto pilot ” and leave no scope for India to have its say.

The sources said the note pointed out that the committee went into the implications of the Hyde Act on the 123 Agreement, on the foreign policy and security matters but had not yet arrived at its findings.

With Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, a source observed, being in the “satyagraha” mode over the deal, and the UPA allies not wanting an early general election, it was up to the Congress to take a political call over the deal.

During the meeting, the sources said, most of the participants appeared “rather sullen and long-faced.”

A senior Prime Ministerial aide said there was no change in the plans and Dr. Singh would go ahead with his scheduled visit to the G-8 summit in Japan in July first week.

The committee meeting was attended by all members, except Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, who is abroad.

Earlier in the day, Mr. Karat met Mr. Mukherjee, hours before the committee met. He also met Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav.

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