India to brief IAEA Board of Governors on July 18

MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: Even before it faces the confidence vote in Lok Sabha, the government will brief IAEA Board of Governors in Vienna on July 18 on India-specific safeguards agreement which the Board is likely to discuss on August 1 to help implementation of the Indo-US nuclear deal.

India on Monday informed the 35 member-countries on the Board of Governors about the July 18 briefing, IAEA sources said today.

The invitation for the briefing on the safeguards, initialled by India and IAEA on July 7, was sent out by Indian Ambassador to Austria Saurabh Kumar.

A senior official of External Affairs Ministry is leaving for Vienna on Wednesday to attend the briefing. He was given a brief on his Vienna assignment by top officials here today.

A crucial meeting of IAEA Board of Governors to build a consensus on India-specific safeguards accord essential to help implement Indo-US nuclear deal has been postponed from its tentative date of July 28 and is likely to be held on August 1, the sources said.

They said informal consultations among 35 members of IAEA Board of Governors were on seeking the consensus and a formal meeting is likely on August 1.

The safeguards agreement was circulated among all 144 member-countries of the world body on the same day.

The document was put on the website of the Ministry of External Affairs, a day after the Left parties accused the government of refusing to make it public.