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I am still hopeful of N-deal: PM
Wednesday, 7 May, 2008
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday said he was still hopeful of the deal.
"I am hopeful so long as we are discussing it," Singh said "I hope good sense will prevail."
"I am negotiating in good faith," the Prime Minister told reporters on the sidelines of a military investiture at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here.
His remarks came in the midst of government's renewed bid to enlist the support of Left parties, for going ahead with securing the India-specific safeguards agreement with the IAEA. Labels: Indo-US-Nuclear-Deal
US tell India to wrap up N deal by July
Thursday, 21 February, 2008
Adding more pressure on India on the nuclear deal, US senator Joseph Biden had urged the Indian government to wrap up the nuke deal by July. "July is the end... If it is not done by the end of July, the deal does not go through. It has to reach the US Congress before June," said Biden, who heads the influential Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Biden along with two other senators had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and discussed their concerns on the nuclear deal. With the US presidential polls on way, he also indicated that it was highly unlikely that the next president will be able to present the deal in its present form. He also added that that the Democratic Party has strong views relating to nuclear proliferation and arms control. "It is in India's interest. It is India's decision," he said.
--MP Labels: Indo-US-Nuclear-Deal
Manmohan positive about Indo-US nuclear deal's future
Tuesday, 20 November, 2007
On Board Air India One, Nov 20 (ANI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today admitted that there is some delay on the operationalisation of the US-India civil nuclear deal, but expressed hope about it being successfully concluded to the satisfaction of both India and the United States.
Dr. Singh said negotiations with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for a safeguards agreement related to the bilateral deal would be undertaken sometime this week. He was referring to a meeting between IAEA chief Mohammad El Baradei and Atomic Energy Commission chief Anil Kakodkar in Vienna.
"I hope it can be brought to successful conclusion, then we will bring it back to the UPA-Left mechanism," Dr. Singh told reporters while en route to Singapore to attend the ASEAN summit.
Last week, the Left leaders gave the green signal to the government to approach the IAEA for holding talks on an India-specific safeguards agreement related to the 2005 US-India civil nuclear pact.
Dr. Singh also cleared the mist over Russian plans to build four nuclear power reactors in Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu.
He said he had had talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on this during his recent visit to Moscow, and informed him that Russia could not go ahead with the plan until the India-specific safeguards was received from the IAEA and the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) ratified it.
"We thought it will be premature to sign an agreement, which cannot be operationalised," Dr. Singh said.
When President Putin visited India in January 2007, India signed a Memorandum of Intent for the construction of four nuclear power reactors in Kudankulam.
In fact, In October this year, when Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov visited New Delhi, he had said that the pact would be finalised during Dr. Singh's November visit to Moscow.
However, Singh and Putin did not come up with the much-awaited comprehensive bilateral civil nuclear cooperation pact during their Summit-level discussions in the Kremlin on November 12.
India was expected to sign a comprehensive nuclear agreement with Russia, which would have expanded the present nuclear collaboration between the two countries. The pact was also expected to have a separate component on the construction of four additional nuclear units in Kundankulam, Tamil Nadu.
The Indo-US nuke-deal faces an informal US deadline related to securing approval of America's Congress well before the next year presidential polls.
Three more steps are required to operationalise the deal that include, safeguard agreement with the IAEA, amendment in the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group's charter and the passing of the 123-agreement by the US Congress. (ANI)-AJ
Labels: Indo-US-Nuclear-Deal
Left gives green signal to UPA to approach IAEA on safeguards agreement
Saturday, 17 November, 2007
New Delhi, Nov.16 (ANI): After months of stalemated talks and barbs, parties representing the Left Front and the Manmohan Singh-led UPA Government today reached an agreement that will allow India to approach the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for talks on a safeguards agreement related to the 2005 US-India civil nuclear pact.
Disclosing this, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said the outcome of talks with the IAEA will be presented before UPA-Left committee for its consideration.
"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 the impact of the provisions of the Hyde Act and the 123 Agreement on the IAEA safeguards agreement be examined," he told reporters after the meeting.
"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," Mukherjee added.
The Left parties, however, made it clear that the Government would only negotiate, but would not enter any kind of agreement without the prior sanction of the UPA-Left Committee.
The Left parties maintained their stance that they would not let the operationalisation of the Indo-US nuclear deal without the committee's approval.
On Thursday, the UPA Government hinted at beginning the talks with the international agency after the Left parties expressed softening of their stand.
The Left Front leaders, who have been opposing any negotiations with the IAEA as they believed that it would construe to operationalisation of the deal, agreed to allow the government to initiate the talks with the international body, but at the same time they said that no agreement would be signed without their approval.
CPI (M) General Secretary, Prakash Karat yesterday said that the proposed nuclear deal is not in the interest of the nation and there should be a debate on it in Parliament.
Meanwhile, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi said that the Lok Sabha would have the much-delayed discussion on the Indo-US nuclear deal on November 27.
The government has also proposed discussion in the Rajya Sabha the next day, he said.
On Wednesday night, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met BJP leader A B Vajpayee apparently to seek the opposition's support for the deal.
The special UPA-Left committee convened by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee was formed to resolve disagreements between the two sides over the nuclear deal.
The nuke-deal faces an informal US deadline related to securing approval of America's Congress well before the next year presidential polls.
Three more steps are required to operationalise the deal that include, safeguard agreement with the IAEA, amendment in the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group's charter and the passing of the 123-agreement by the US Congress. (ANI)
--MP Labels: Indo-US-Nuclear-Deal
Crucial meeting of UPA-Left Committee on nuke issue today
New Delhi, Nov 16 (ANI): The special committee comprising of senior UPA and Left Front leaders are meeting for the sixth time in the national capital today.
There is a strong possibility that after the meeting, the committee would announce its decision to give the Government a go ahead for initiating talks with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for India-specific safeguards agreement.
On Thursday, the UPA Government hinted at beginning the talks with the international agency after the Left parties expressed softening of their stand.
The Left Front leaders, who have been opposing any negotiations with the IAEA as they believed that it would construe to operationalisation of the deal, agreed to allow the government to initiate the talks with the international body, but at the same time they said that no agreement would be signed without their approval.
CPI (M) General Secretary, Prakash Karat on Thursday said that the proposed nuclear deal is not in the interest of the nation and there should be a debate on it in Parliament.
Meanwhile, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi said that the Lok Sabha would have the much-delayed discussion on the Indo-US nuclear deal on November 27.
The government has also proposed discussion in the Rajya Sabha the next day, he said.
On Wednesday night, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met BJP leader A B Vajpayee apparently to seek the opposition's support for the deal.
The special UPA-Left committee convened by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee was formed to resolve disagreements between the two sides over the nuclear deal.
The nuke-deal faces an informal US deadline related to securing approval of America's Congress well before the next year presidential polls.
Three more steps are required to operationalise the deal that include, safeguard agreement with the IAEA, amendment in the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group's charter and the passing of the 123-agreement by the US Congress. (ANI)
- AY Labels: Indo-US-Nuclear-Deal
Government likely to approach IAEA
Friday, 16 November, 2007
New Delhi, Nov 15 (ANI): Ahead of the meeting of the UPA-Left committee on the Indo-US nuclear deal, the Centre today hinted that it would approach the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for talks on the India-specific safeguards agreement.
A senior minister reportedly said this after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held discussions with Congress President Sonia Gandhi and other senior Cabinet ministers, including External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Defence Minister A K Antony, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi and Home Minister Shivraj Patil.
At tomorrow's meeting, a formal view on approaching the IAEA is likely, as the Left parties have already expressed softening of their stand against the government's desire to approach the IAEA.
A discussion on the nuclear deal will be held in Lok Sabha on November 27 after the Prime Minister's return from the tour of Singapore and Uganda, Dasmunsi said, adding that the government has also offered the debate in the Rajya Sabha on November 28.
The Prime Minister, on Wednesday, met BJP leader A B Vajpayee apparently to seek the Opposition's support to the Indo-US nuclear deal. (ANI)
--MP Labels: Indo-US-Nuclear-Deal
Experts say US-India nuke deal the best India can have
Thursday, 15 November, 2007
New Delhi, Nov 15 (ANI): Former military chiefs, bureaucrats, scientists and some Members of Parliament have said that the July 18, 2005 US-India civil nuclear cooperation agreement is the best that India can hope for.
In an open letter, which has been published in today's Indian Express, these experts believe that civil nuclear cooperation as stated in the agreement will not only serve the country's national security interests, but also ensure India's evolution as a principal power in the global comity of nations.
While welcoming Parliament's decision to debate the deal during its Winter Session, the experts opined that the one obstacle coming in the way of India exerting a significant influence in the shaping of the modern world, was its lack of access to high technologies, "particularly those related to security needs".
"We will continue to be denied access to such technologies unless the international community agrees to remove the existing sanctions. In opening the way to such an outcome, what is formally a bilateral agreement between us and the USA is actually the basis for agreement with the international community," the paper quotes the experts, as saying in their open letter.
"That community combines to impose crippling constraints not only on our nuclear programme but, by withholding so called dual-use technologies, on a wide range of possibilities for improving the lives of our people," they suggested, adding that "existing constraints can only be removed through an agreement with those who impose them, which this accord (US-India nuclear deal) makes possible."
"Nobody can claim the deal is perfect, or gives us everything we would have liked. But all international agreements require movement away from one's first preferences. All too often in our history we have suffered by insisting on the ideally desirable and rejecting what is attainable. The agreement has given us as much as it has because of a most particular combination of circumstances which can hardly come again," they said.
We realise that there are many Indians, no less concerned about our security interests than ourselves, who disagree with us. Democracy demands and thrives on differences of opinion. We only urge that opinion be shaped by facts and reality.
"International relationships are shaped by strength, the stronger you are the greater your freedom of action. We believe India is more vulnerable to foreign pressures without this agreement than we would be by increasing our strength through an intelligent use of it to put through various development programmes which currently falter. This agreement should be viewed as an instrument for making us that stronger power, confident of itself and of the respect of others, that counts more and more in the world, and can do more for its people.
The following were the signatories:
Marshal of the Air Force Arjun Singh, former Chief of Air Force.
Air Chief Marshal O P Mehra, former Chief of Air Force.
General V N Sharma, former Chief of Army Staff
General V P Malik, former Chief of Army Staff
Admiral Ram Tahliani, former Chief of Naval Staff
Admiral Madhvendra Singh, former Chief of Naval Staff
Dr M R Srinivasan, former Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission
Dr Kasturirangan, former Chairman of Space Commission
K Subrahmanyam, former Founder/Director of IDSA, former Secretary, Defence Production, former Convener, NSAB
Dr Roddam Narsimha, former Director of National Institute of Advanced Studies & Director National Aeronautical Laboratory
Dr R Rajaraman, former Professor of School of Nuclear Sciences, JNU
K Santhanam, former Senior Scientific Advisor to Ministry of Defence
B G Deshmukh, former Cabinet Secretary and Principal Secretary to Prime Minister
Abid Hussain, former Member of Planning Commission, former Commerce Secretary and Ambassador to the US
N N Vohra, former Principal Secretary to Prime Minister, former Home Secretary and former Defence Secretary
Naresh Chandra, former Governor of Gujarat, former Cabinet Secretary, former Secretary, Home and Defence
Narendra Sisodia, former Secretary, Defence Production and Ministry of Finance
M K Rasgotra, former High Commissioner to the UK, former Ambassador to France and former Foreign Secretary
K S Bajpai, former Ambassador to Pakistan, China and the US, former Secretary, External Affairs
K Raghunath, former Ambassador to the USSR, former Foreign Secretary
Lalit Mansingh, former Ambassador to the US, former Foreign Secretary
S K Lambah, former Ambassador to Pakistan, Germany, Russia
Arundhati Ghose, former Ambassador to the Conference on Disarmament.((ANI)-AJ
Labels: Indo-US-Nuclear-Deal
Sans nuke pact, Manmohan thanks Putin for supporting India's nuclear programme
Monday, 12 November, 2007
By Smita Prakash
Moscow, Nov 12 (ANI): The much-awaited comprehensive pact with Russia for a civil nuclear cooperation did not materialise during the summit-level talks between visiting Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Russian President Vladimir Putin, but it did not stop the former from thanking Moscow for its 'steadfast support' in supplementing New Delhi's nuclear energy programme.
"We continued our dialogue on energy," Singh said in his opening remarks at a joint press interaction with Putin, and added, "I thanked the President for Russia's steadfast support in supplementing our nuclear energy programme, and its assistance in lifting international restrictions on nuclear cooperation with India that are still in place."
India was expected to sign a comprehensive nuclear agreement with Russia, which would have expanded the present nuclear collaboration between the two countries. The pact was also expected to have a separate component on the construction of four additional nuclear units in Koodankulam, Tamil Nadu.
In October this year, when Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov visited New Delhi he had said that the pact would be finalised during Manmohan Singh's November visit to Moscow.
However, as the two countries today signed four agreements, the nuclear pact was not one of them.
Stating that Indo-Russian relations are based on a strategic partnership that has stood the test of time, Singh focussed on the economic aspect, terming it as the 'bedrock of the strategic partnership'. He said that both sides have agreed to redouble their efforts to achieve a bilateral trade target of 10 billion US dollars by 2010.
With both countries resolving the long pending issue of the utilization of rupee debt fund, Singh said that recommendations of the Joint Study Group were also discussed along with the establishment of a Joint Task Force to implement those recommendations.
"Defence cooperation is one of the pillars of our strategic partnership," Singh said, adding that recent agreements between the two countries to co-develop a Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) and Muti-role Transport Aircraft show the major steps taken forward in this direction.
With a bilateral agreement for cooperation in India's first moon mission, Chandrayan II, being the high point in this year's Summit level talks, Singh said, "High technology is an area of great promise."
Singh said that he was 'very satisfied, with the results of his Moscow visit, which is his fourth to the Russian capital as Prime Minister.
"We have consolidated and strengthened our engagement in different areas," he added. (ANI)
--
-AA
Labels: Indo-US-Nuclear-Deal, International
PM building a national consensus on nuke deal, says Narayanan
On Board Air India One, Nov. 11 (ANI): As the Winter Session of the Parliament is set to begin on Thursday with a discussion on the contentious Indo-US nuclear deal, the UPA Government has already started to build a national consensus on the issue by addressing the concerns expressed by various political leaders, including the opposition BJP.
Recently National Security Advisor M K Narayanan had met top BJP leaders, L.K. Advani, Jaswant Singh and Rajnath Singh, and sought to address their concerns about the deal.
Narayanan, who is accompanying Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on a two-day visit to Russia, told reporters onboard Air India One that the Government has explained to the BJP leaders in 'great detail', about India's strategic programme and why 123-agreement would never affect it.
"In fact, there are other aspects of 123-agreement that will enhance our strategic programme," Narayanan said.
He said the explanation was necessary since former NSA Brajesh Mishra had expressed fears that India's strategic concern might be compromised by the 123-agreement.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who had earlier stated that he is trying to build a national consensus on the deal, seems to have won over the Left Front for the time being.
The Left, which offers crucial outside support to the UPA Government, appears to have mellowed down in recent weeks and, given signs of not completely opposing to the US-India pact inked on July 18, 2005.
Earlier this week, CPI-M General Secretary Prakash Karat met both Prime Minister Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi over a working lunch and agreed to discuss the latter's August 13 statement made in the Parliament over the 123-agreement.
The BJP, which recently demanded that the deal be renegotiated, has also agreed to participate in the debate over the nuclear deal in the Parliament, even if the debate does not entail voting.
While some sections of the BJP have agreed to support the government over the nuclear deal, hardliners within the party are not keen about doing so. (ANI) --MP Labels: Indo-US-Nuclear-Deal
Left agrees to discuss PM's speech on 123-agreement in Parliament
Saturday, 10 November, 2007
New Delhi, Nov 10 (ANI): The Left and the UPA today decided to discuss Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Monsoon Session statement on the 123-agreement during next week's Winter Session of the Parliament. The top leaders of the Left front, CPI (M) General Secretary Prakash Karat and CPI leader A B Bardhan, who met Singh at his official residence here today, agreed to hold the discussion at the beginning of the session, beginning on November 15. UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi was also present at Saturday's meeting. On August 13, Manmohan Singh had assured the Lok Sabha that the civil nuclear cooperation agreement with the US would completely adhere to July 18, 2005 pact and March 2, 2006 separation plan. "Let me hence reiterate once again that a decision to undertake a future nuclear test would be our sovereign decision, one that rests solely with the Government. There is nothing in the Agreement that would tie the hands of a future Government or legally constrain its options to protect India's security and defence needs," the Prime Minister had then said to the Lok Sabha.
However, the opposition BJP has alleged that the 123-agreement in its present form affects India's right to conduct future nuclear test, and has demanded a renegotiation of the deal. During today's meeting between Prime Minister and the Left leaders it was also decided that the next meeting of the UPA- Left's special committee be convened as soon as possible. The 15-member panel of the UPA-Left committee on the Indo-US nuclear deal, which was scheduled to meet for the sixth time on November 16, was postponed in the wake of the commencement of the winter session of Parliament. The special committee convened by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee was formed to resolve disagreements between the two sides over the nuclear deal. (ANI)
-AJ
Labels: Indo-US-Nuclear-Deal
UPA-Left nuke panel meet postponed
New Delhi, Nov 9 (ANI): The UPA-Left Committee on the Indo-US nuclear deal, which was scheduled to meet on November 16, has been postponed due to the winter session of Parliament beginning on November 15. CPI (M) Secretary D Raja, who is the member of the 15-member panel, said that the postponement has been formally communicated to the Left parties by the UPA alliance. During the winter session a discussion on the deal is expected. The UPA-Left meeting is likely only after the session concludes on December 7.
The UPA-Left committee, formed to resolve disagreements between the two sides over the nuclear deal, was to meet for the sixth time on November 16. Its last meeting was held on October 22. The deal faces an informal US deadline related to securing approval of America's Congress well before presidential polls next year. Three more steps are required to operationalise the deal that include, safeguard agreement with the IAEA, amendment in the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group's charter and the passing of the 123-agreement by the US Congress.The deal had brought the Manmohan Singh led UPA government to the brink of collapse as the Left parties, that provide outside support to the coalition government, threatened to withdraw its support if the pact is pursued. The communists have rejected the deal, saying it hurts India's sovereignty and imposes US hegemony. (ANI) -AJ
Labels: Indo-US-Nuclear-Deal
N-deal will be completed very soon: Nicholas Burns
Friday, 9 November, 2007
Washington, Nov 8 (ANI): US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns today said that the Indo-US civil nuclear energy cooperation "will be completed very soon".
Speaking during the celebration of Diwali, the Indian festival of lights, at the White House, Burns said, "I believe in the civil nuclear deal and I hope we will see it completed very soon."
Thanking the Indian community in the US for their support to the bilateral deal, Burns said, "We are working on the civil-nuclear cooperation."
Burns statement comes as the Left Front in India stepped down its ante against the deal. However, the opposition BJP with which the US diplomats recently held parleys and tried to convince them about the deal, has said that it want the deal to be renegotiated. (ANI) --MP
Labels: Indo-US-Nuclear-Deal
Swiss President discuss US-India nuke deal with Manmohan Singh
Thursday, 8 November, 2007
New Delhi, Nov 8 (ANI): Visiting Switzerland President Micheline Calmy-Rey met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday evening and reportedly discussed various aspects of the US-India civil nuclear agreement.
Switzerland, which is a key member of the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and also a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors, can provide the approval India needs to break out of its isolation vis-à-vis global ivil nuclear energy commerce.
"I requested the Prime Minister to have an Indian expert to explain the Indo-U.S. nuclear deal," Ms Calmy-Rey said after the interaction.
Dr. Singh and Ms Calmey-Rey also discussed the feasibility of an economic agreement similar to a free trade agreement covering goods, services, investments, intellectual property and trade facilitation.
India is Switzerland's fourth-largest trading partner in Asia.
Switzerland is also one of the 10 main foreign investors in India, with more than 140 joint ventures operating in the country. Both countries also have a scientific and technical cooperation agreement as well as joint research programmes for projects in life sciences, information technologies and biotechnology.
Switzerland has had a programme of cooperation and development with India since 1961. This programme is being restructured to orient it towards cooperation primarily in the fields of energy and climate, science and technology by 2010.
President Calmey-Rey also met Vice President Hamid Ansari, Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi and the Leader of Opposition L K Advani.
The visit of the Swiss President to India follows a visit to Switzerland by President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in May 2005. (ANI)
- AY Labels: Indo-US-Nuclear-Deal
Not reached the end of the road, PM says on N-deal
Wednesday, 31 October, 2007
MP: New Delhi, Oct 30 (ANI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday said that efforts are still on to evolve a national consensus on the Indo-US civilian nuclear cooperation.
He admitted that some problems exist and said, "We have not reached the end of the road."
"We are committed to see that the process is carried forward," he told reporters at a joint press conference with visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
The nuclear deal has come under a vehement opposition from the Left Front, which has asked the government not to move ahead with the operationalisation of the deal. (ANI) Labels: Indo-US-Nuclear-Deal
Interests of India and US run parallel: Kissinger
MP: New Delhi, Oct 30 (ANI): Former US Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger today said that as the international focus shifts to the Indian and Pacific Ocean from the Atlantic, India has become an emerging power whose interests run parallel with the US.
"The fundamental interests of the US and India run parallel, their destinies are linked and they must work together towards lasting world peace," Kissinger said during a seminar.
He said that China is also the new emerging power in the region, both economically and politically. However, he added that closer ties between the US and India is not for containing China.
"The US-India partnership is not dictated by any agreement but by their common interests in an international system that is characterized by a series of changes," he said, pointing to the difficulty in getting the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal operationalised due to New Delhi's domestics concerns.
Stating that US, Russia, China, India and Japan are established nations, Kissinger called for the revision of the Security Council with the new shift in the global power.
In this regard, he said the question of veto power of the Permanent five members of the UNSC must also be addressed. (ANI) Labels: Indo-US-Nuclear-Deal
Top US officials meet BJP leaders over N-deal
Monday, 29 October, 2007
MP: New Delhi, Oct 29 (ANI): Top US officials met senior Bharatiya
Janata Party (BJP) leaders here on Monday in a bid to push for the
Indo-US civilian nuclear deal, which has been put on a backburner
following the reservations expressed by the Opposition and the Left
parties. US Ambassador to India David Mulford called on BJP chief Rajnath Singh
at his residence in New Delhi, and understood to have discussed what
has been termed as a landmark bilateral cooperation agreement. Meanwhile, former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger met senior BJP
leader Lal Krishna Advani at his residence in the Capital to garner
the party's support on the issue. Mulford had earlier met Advani and India's former National Security
Advisor Brajesh Mishra to discuss the nuclear agreement, which is seen
as increasingly important in boosting strategic relations between
Washington and New Delhi. The civilian nuclear cooperation deal aims to lift a three-decade ban
on sales of US nuclear fuel and reactors to India, imposed after the
latter conducted a nuclear test in 1974, while staying out of
non-proliferation agreements. The deal has brought the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh led UPA
government to the brink of collapse as Left parties that provide
outside support to the coalition government threatened to withdraw its
support if the pact is pursued. The communists have rejected the deal, saying it hurts India's
sovereignty and imposes US hegemony. The deal faces an informal US deadline related to securing approval of
America's Congress well before presidential polls next year. Last week, U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns, Washington's
main negotiator for the pact, said India did not have an unlimited
amount of time. The Bush Administration wants the agreement to go to Congress for its
backing by the end of the year, he said in New York on Tuesday. That deadline would be virtually impossible to meet if India does not
move now to secure approvals from the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) and the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). Last week, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said that the
talks with the Left parties on the Indo-US deal would continue beyond
the November 16 meeting. "We are working to reconcile a position… We are trying to get a
solution. Let us see what is the outcome of the meeting on November
16," Mukherjee, who is the convenor of the special UPA-Left committee,
said, adding that it would not be the last meeting with the Left on
the issue. Expressing the hope of sorting out the differences with the Left
parties, Mukherjee asserted that divergence views would be narrowed
down, and rejected the viewpoint that the nuclear deal was dead. The special committee of the UPA and the Left, formed to resolve
disagreements between the two sides over the nuclear deal, held
deliberations for the fifth time on the issue on October 22. They decided to continue the talks even as the 'unofficial' deadline
for India to initiate formal negotiations with the IAEA for
country-specific agreements ends in October. There has been a general opinion that the bilateral agreement could be
difficult to operationalise since Left parties are trying to woo the
United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA) to launch a joint
opposition to the deal. Three more steps are required to operationalise the deal that include,
safeguard agreement with the IAEA, amendment in the 45-member Nuclear
Suppliers Group's charter and the passing of the 123-agreement by the
US Congress. (ANI) Labels: Indo-US-Nuclear-Deal
Mulford meets Advani over nuclear deal
Thursday, 25 October, 2007
MP; New Delhi, Oct 25 (ANI): US Ambassador to India David C Mulford
today met the Leader of the Opposition, L K Advani, here and discussed
with him the civilian nuclear deal, which has been put on the
backburner following the reservations expressed by the Opposition and
the Left parties. Although no official words were available on the meeting, Mulford
reportedly sought BJP's support for an early operationalisation of the
deal. The BJP, along with the government's Left allies, has opposed the
deal, saying that it would affect India's indigenous military nuclear
programme and independent foreign policy. There has been a general opinion that the bilateral agreement could be
difficult to operationalise since Left parties are trying to woo the
United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA) to launch a joint
opposition to the deal. Three more steps are required to operationalise the deal that include,
safeguard agreement with the IAEA, amendment in the 45-member Nuclear
Suppliers Group's charter and the passing of the 123-agreement by the
US Congress. The civilian nuclear cooperation deal aims to lift a three-decade ban
on sales of US nuclear fuel and reactors to India, which was imposed
after it conducted a nuclear test in 1974 while staying out of
non-proliferation agreements. The Left Front, which provides crucial support to the government from
outside, has been opposing the deal and the situation between UPA and
Left reached a nadir, sparking the prospect of snap elections. (ANI) Labels: Indo-US-Nuclear-Deal
Third front, CPI meet over Indo-US nuke deal
MP: New Delhi, Oct 25 (ANI): Leaders of the third front United
National Progressive Alliance (UNPA) met the Communists Party of India
(CPI) members here today to chalk out a common stance on the Indo-US
civilian nuclear deal. The meeting came a day after UNPA leaders met the Communist Party of
India-Marxist (CPI-M) leaders to discuss the nuke deal. Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav said after the meeting that
the Left parties and the UNPA have similar concerns over the bilateral
deal. "This is a question of the country and not a particular party. If you
read about the nuclear deal then you will know that the country will
not benefit from it for many years in the future. If they want to make
nuclear reactors, we can make them better from our own resources in
the same time. The deal is dangerous for our sovereignty," Mulayam
said. CPI General Secretary of A .B. Bardhan echoed the words of UNPA
leaders, saying, "We have taken a pledge to come together on a
platform to find answers for the questions of the people of India and
in the process an alternative (third front) can also be worked out." India is facing an informal end-October deadline to begin securing
clearances from the IAEA and others to clinch the deal UNPA's parleys with the Left parties came even as US Undersecretary of
State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns said on Monday that time
was running out for the landmark nuclear deal. The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and its Communist allies agreed
earlier this week to hold next month another meeting over the deal,
clearly indicating that New Delhi had backtracked on pushing the pact
into the backburner. India needs to conclude a safeguards agreement with the International
Atomic Energy Agency, get approvals from the Nuclear Suppliers Group
and a second backing from the U.S. Congress before the deal can come
into force. Although it faces no formal deadline, Washington wants the pact --
considered highly lucrative for American firms -- clinched next year
before the end of Bush's term to avoid its fate becoming uncertain
under a new administration. The bilateral civilian nuclear cooperation deal aims to lift a
three-decade ban on sales of US nuclear fuel and reactors to India,
which was imposed after it conducted a nuclear test in 1974 while
staying out of non-proliferation agreements. (ANI) Labels: Indo-US-Nuclear-Deal
Pranab briefs his Russian counterpart about row over Indo-US N-deal
MP: Harbin, Oct 24 (ANI): External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee today briefed his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov about India's position on the civilian nuclear cooperation deal with the US, which has been put on the back burner in the wake of the strong opposition from the Left parties. Authoritative sources told ANI that Mukherjee discussed the nuclear deal with Lavrov during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the troika talks, which concluded today. Sources further said that at the brief meeting between the two foreign ministers, both countries acknowledged that Pakistan was destabilizing Afghanistan. Both sides decided to celebrate next year as the 'Year of Russia in India' and over 150 cultural programmes are slated to be held this year. The bilateral meeting is being seen as the groundwork for the forthcoming visit of the Prime Minister to Russia, which sources said would take place in the second week of November i.e. before the AEAN summit, which commences on November 19. India needs to conclude a safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), get approvals from the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and a second backing from the US Congress before the nuclear deal can come into force. Although it faces no formal deadline, Washington wants the pact -- considered highly lucrative for American firms -- clinched next year before the end of Bush's term to avoid its fate becoming uncertain under a new administration. (ANI) Labels: Indo-US-Nuclear-Deal
UNPA leaders meet Left parties over nuke deal
MP: New Delhi, Oct 24 (ANI): Leaders of the third front United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA) met the Left parties here on Wednesday to seek consensus on the Indo-US civilian nuclear cooperation agreement. After the meeting, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief Chandrababu Naidu said that the UNPA demanded a discussion in the Parliament before taking up the implementation of the bilateral deal. "UNPA has demanded discussion in Parliament that has to approve the government decision and that is the stand we have taken, and the same has been conveyed to (A B) Bardhan (CPI leader)," Naidu said. The Communists also endorsed the concerns of the third front. "He (Chandrababu Naidu) also thinks like the Left parties that Parliament must debate the Indo-US nuclear agreement. The UPA government should take the sense of the House into account before taking any decision to operationalise or not operationalise the agreement," said D. Raja, CPI leader. Naidu later addressed a press conference to take up the cause of the farmers in the wake of rising prices. He said this party has organised a rally in Vijaywada to address the issue. "In Vijaywada, on November 24 we have a huge rally on farmers' issue, specially MSP (minimum support price) and also paddy," Naidu said. He went on to say that the Centre was discriminating in the support price, as they were giving one thousand rupees for wheat and at the same time rupees 595 for paddy. "Also there is problem for MSP, this government is neglecting farmers' issue. So, we want to have a big rally and protest all anti-farmer steps of the UPA government," Naidu added. Left's parleys with the Third Front came even as US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns said on Monday that time was running out for the landmark nuclear deal. The UPA and its Communist allies agreed on Monday to hold next month one last meeting over the deal with the United States, clearly indicating that New Delhi had backtracked on pushing the pact into the backburner. India needs to conclude a safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency, get approvals from the Nuclear Suppliers Group and a second backing from the U.S. Congress before the deal can come into force. Although it faces no formal deadline, Washington wants the pact -- considered highly lucrative for American firms -- clinched next year before the end of Bush's term to avoid its fate becoming uncertain under a new administration. (ANI) Labels: Indo-US-Nuclear-Deal
Left-UPA to meet next on Nov 16 over nuke deal
Wednesday, 24 October, 2007
New Delhi, Oct 22 (ANI): The special committee of the UPA and the Left formed to resolve disagreements between the two sides over the Indo-US civilian nuclear energy cooperation will be holding its next round of talks on November 16.
The committee, which held deliberations today for the fifth time on the issue, today decided to continue the talks even as the 'unofficial' deadline for India to initiate formal negotiations with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for country-specific agreements ends in October.
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who is the convenor of the special committee, told reporters after the meeting that discussions were conducted in a congenial and cooperative atmosphere and that the Government had agreed to look into all concerns raised by the Left, including the Hyde Act and its implication on foreign policy.
Just hours before this meeting, top leaders of the coalition government met amidst report that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has expressed his disappointment over the politics being played over the bilateral agreement Singh reportedly told his UPA partners that he was embarrassed by the prospect of retreating back on the deal, which was passed by the Union Cabinet.
Reports indicated that the Prime Minister has hinted at resigning from the office, since he does not want to lead a 'lame-duck' government after succumbing to the Left's opposition to the deal. Peeved by remarks of some coalition partners like Rashtriya Janata Dal, Nationalist Congress Party and Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (DMK), where they had stated that nuclear deal was not an important an issue to put the government's stability at stake, Singh reportedly asked the coalition partners to give their final stand on the issue.
During his return from South Africa, last week, Singh had told reporters that the deal was passed by the Cabinet, where representatives of the coalition partners had already given their assent to it.
"This agreement (123-agreement) was approved by the Cabinet. So where is the question of the UPA going back on it?" Singh had said. However, the Congress later today dismissed reports of Manmohan Singh's resignation and also said that the UPA partners had not expressed their reservation over the deal.
"They (UPA leaders like Lalu Prasad Yadav, Sharad Pawar and M Karunanidhi) have never said that," Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi told reporters. The Congress party also said that it wants to save the government as well as to get the civilian nuclear deal with the US materialise. "We want both," quipped Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi when asked whether the party was ready to save the coalition by sacrificing the deal.
The Prime Minister, who had said that the failure of operationalising the deal would not mean the end of the day as his party was not a single-issue government and had several other agendas to fulfil, had earlier stated that he was still hopeful of the deal.
On Saturday, CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yechury had expressed his hope that today's meeting would be the last one with CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan making it clear that during Monday's meeting the UPA government should officially state that the nuclear deal has been put on hold.
As the October month is coming to an end, the deadline for getting a safeguard agreement with the IAEA is drawing near and that has led to an assessment that the bilateral agreement could be difficult to operationalise with steps like amendment in the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group's charter and the passing of the 123-agreement by the Congress could be carried out only after the agreement with the UN nuclear agency.
The civilian nuclear cooperation deal aims to lift a three-decade ban on sales of US nuclear fuel and reactors to India, which was imposed after it conducted a nuclear test in 1974 while staying out of non-proliferation agreements.
The Left Front, which provides crucial support to the government from outside, has been opposing the deal and the situation between UPA and Left reached a nadir, sparking the prospect of snap elections. (ANI) Labels: Indo-US-Nuclear-Deal
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