People's Democracy

Left Gives Limited Consent For Talks With IAEA

THE UPA-Left committee on the India-US Civil Nuclear Cooperation in its meeting this evening has given government limited consent in going for “talks with IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) Secretariat for working out the text of the India specific safeguards agreement.” But this is a limited consent for discussions of an exploratory nature before finalising or signing any draft agreement and the outcome will be presented to the committee for its consideration. The committee will finalise its findings.

CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat underlined this in an interaction with the media after the Left-UPA committee that this firmly and formally brings IAEA discussions and proposals under the jurisdiction of the Left-UPA committee. IAEA phase of nuclear deal operationalisation stands now split into two parts of which only first part related to discussion for India specific safeguards is allowed while finalization of anything regarding the same is still under the control of the UPA-Left committee. Karat also explained that no time frame has been decided for the committee to finalise its findings.

Karat also reiterated Left’s uncompromising opposition to 123 agreement that comes under purview of Hyde Act. He also expressed the hope that the current winter session of parliament will be able to discuss the Indo-US nuclear deal and tell the world that this deal goes against assurances given by the PM to Indian parliament and people regarding the same.
 

Following statement was issued after the meeting on November 16, 2007

The UPA-Left committee on the India-US Civil Nuclear Cooperation held its sixth meeting today. All the members of the committee, except Shri Laloo Prasad Yadav, who was out of Delhi, participated in the meeting.

The Committee has discussed the implications of the Hyde Act on the 123 Agreement, on foreign policy and security matters. After further discussion, it was decided that impact of the provisions of the Hyde Act and the 123 agreement on the IAEA Safeguards agreement should also be examined. This will require talks with the IAEA secretariat for working out the text of the India-specific safeguards agreement. The government will proceed with the talks and the outcome will be presented to the committee for its consideration before it finalises its findings.

The findings of the committee will be taken into account before the operationalisation of the India-US Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement.