Govt can talk, but Left will decide
Left gives go-ahead for talks with IAEA, but govt can’t finalise deal without their consent.
By TNN |
NEW DELHI: The Left parties on Friday formally gave their consent to the government for approaching the IAEA for discussing a draft safeguards agreement. The Left’s nod came after an explicit commitment from the government at the UPA-Left panel meeting that it will not wrap up the safeguards agreement without the Left’s approval.
Government leaders, who refused to term the Left’s nod as a “breakthrough”, acknowledged that there was no change in the Left’s stand on the 123 Agreement. The committee discussed the implications of the Hyde Act on the 123 Agreement, foreign policy and security matters.
After further discussions, it was decided that the impact and provisions of the Hyde Act and the 123 Agreement on IAEA safeguards should also be examined. This will require talks with IAEA secretariat for working out the text of 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 operationalisation of the Indo-US nuclear agreement.
Senior Left leaders said the Left’s nod for approaching the IAEA was not any major concession to the government. “We gave the approval after the government agreed to split the negotiations with the IAEA into two stages — drafting and finalisation.
When they come back after the first stage, we will intervene,” said a Left leader. He also said the concession was given after the government leadership cited a major credibility deficit for India for not following up on an agreement with another country.
Government leaders told the UPA-Left panel that the discussions with the IAEA secretariat could take up to 45 days to complete. Washington has been maintaining that the deal, which has reached a “now or never” stage should be made available for the US Congress’ consideration.
At the meeting, the Leftists asked the government why it failed to sign the nuclear agreement with Russia. The government leaders said that in the absence of a safeguards agreement, it was not possible to sign the agreement. As of now, the country has facility-specific safeguards for four Indian reactors.
The India-specific safeguards, which New Delhi is trying to work out with IAEA is going to be different as it will have a fuel guarantee clause.
The deal can be operationalised only if the safeguards agreement meets the provisions laid down by the Hyde Act. The Left, on its part, is determined to scuttle any attempt to address the provisions of the Hyde Act in the safeguards agreement.
Earlier in the day, the RSP and the Forward Bloc opposed the other Left parties’ decision to allow the government to approach the IAEA. But as expected, they were reined in by the CPM.
Government leaders, who refused to term the Left’s nod as a “breakthrough”, acknowledged that there was no change in the Left’s stand on the 123 Agreement. The committee discussed the implications of the Hyde Act on the 123 Agreement, foreign policy and security matters.
After further discussions, it was decided that the impact and provisions of the Hyde Act and the 123 Agreement on IAEA safeguards should also be examined. This will require talks with IAEA secretariat for working out the text of 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 operationalisation of the Indo-US nuclear agreement.
Senior Left leaders said the Left’s nod for approaching the IAEA was not any major concession to the government. “We gave the approval after the government agreed to split the negotiations with the IAEA into two stages — drafting and finalisation.
When they come back after the first stage, we will intervene,” said a Left leader. He also said the concession was given after the government leadership cited a major credibility deficit for India for not following up on an agreement with another country.
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Government leaders told the UPA-Left panel that the discussions with the IAEA secretariat could take up to 45 days to complete. Washington has been maintaining that the deal, which has reached a “now or never” stage should be made available for the US Congress’ consideration.
At the meeting, the Leftists asked the government why it failed to sign the nuclear agreement with Russia. The government leaders said that in the absence of a safeguards agreement, it was not possible to sign the agreement. As of now, the country has facility-specific safeguards for four Indian reactors.
The India-specific safeguards, which New Delhi is trying to work out with IAEA is going to be different as it will have a fuel guarantee clause.
The deal can be operationalised only if the safeguards agreement meets the provisions laid down by the Hyde Act. The Left, on its part, is determined to scuttle any attempt to address the provisions of the Hyde Act in the safeguards agreement.
ADVERTISEMENT
Earlier in the day, the RSP and the Forward Bloc opposed the other Left parties’ decision to allow the government to approach the IAEA. But as expected, they were reined in by the CPM.
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