Date:18/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/03/18/stories/2008031852031000.htm

Back Nuke deal: UPA-Left panel to meet again in April

Our Bureau

New Delhi, March 17 The Government and its Left allies on Monday decided to hold another round of discussions in April on the draft India-specific safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The Left parties were briefed by the Government on the outcome of the negotiations with the global nuclear watchdog in Vienna during the seventh meeting of the UPA-Left panel that is looking into the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal.

Meeting after a gap of three months, during which India held four rounds of negotiations with the IAEA, the External Affairs Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, presented the outcome of the India-IAEA talks on the draft agreement to the top Left leaders.

“The members of the Committee felt that further discussion was needed. It was decided to hold the next meeting in April,” Mr Mukherjee told reporters after the 90-minute meeting.

At the last meeting on November 17, the Left parties had allowed the Government to hold negotiations with the IAEA on the safeguards agreement, but subsequently warned of serious consequences if the Centre went ahead with the deal. Last week, the CPI General Secretary, Mr A.B. Bardhan, had written to the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, threatening withdrawal of support, if the deal with the US was implemented.