Govt to quicken talks with IAEA: Kakodkar

MUMBAI: Unfazed by CPI(M)'s threat to the government to end the talks with IAEA, its chief nuclear negotiator on Wednesday said India will quicken negotiations with IAEA on India-specific safeguards but will ensure that it is done "satisfactorily".

"We are doing our best and try to complete the process as soon as possible but everything has to be done satisfactorily as the negotiations are comprehensive and complex," Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Dr Anil Kakodkar said as India concluded its second round of talks with the IAEA in Vienna today.

"We will carry forward the discussions with IAEA. If consultations are required the negotiating team will come back and then continue the process," he told media.

However, Kakodkar refused to elaborate on the nature of the negotiations saying "the negotiating team is doing their job, let us see how it takes shape".

CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat on Sunday had theratened the government that it should talks with IAEA this month or else be prepared for mid-term Lok Sabha elections.

The Left parties, strongly opposed to the Indo-US nuclear deal, had last week given permission to the government to go ahead with the talks with IAEA with a rider that it would not not sign any agreement.

Karat said the truce was effected with Gujarat elections in mind as they did not not want the Central government to fall and BJP take advantage of it in the Gujarat elections.

Sources said it is expected that the draft of the agreed text on the India-specific safeguards would seek to address the interest of IAEA as well as India.