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Sunday, Jul 27, 2008
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Pranab hopeful of nod for draft at IAEA

Special Correspondent

We are not going by any time frame to operationalise deal

“Whatever we have to do, we have done”
Congress has begun awareness campaign on nuclear agreement

CHENNAI: External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday expressed the hope that the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency would approve the draft India-specific safeguards agreement at its August 1 meeting.

On approval by the IAEA Board, the matter would go to the Nuclear Suppliers Group and after that to the United States Congress for ratification.

Mr. Mukherjee was talking to journalists after declaring open the Chennai centre of the Indian Statistical Institute.

When a journalist referred to the U.S. administration’s observation that time was running out for operationalising the civilian nuclear agreement, he said the government was not going by any time frame.

“Whatever we have to do, we have done.”

Repeating what he told the Lok Sabha during the debate on the confidence vote, the Minister said the clearance of the agreement by the NSG and the IAEA was a “passport” for the country to enter into civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with the international community.

To a query on the Congress response to the Left campaign, he said the party had already begun its drive to generate awareness of the agreement.

On BJP leader M. Venkaiah Naidu’s criticism of the foreign policy in the context of the controversy over attacks on Indian fishermen allegedly by the Sri Lankan Navy, the Minister said promoting and improving good relationship with neighbours were among the objectives of the country’s policy. The country had been vigilant to protect its interests.

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