PM to consult all before signing N-deal
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will consult all those "directly or indirectly" involved with the Indo-US nuclear deal before taking a final decision on it, Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission Anil Kakodkar said on Friday.
By PTI |
MUMBAI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will consult all those "directly or indirectly" involved with the Indo-US nuclear deal before taking a final decision on it, Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission Anil Kakodkar said on Friday.
"The Prime Minister told me that everbody, who are involved directly or indirectly with the deal, will be kept on board (for discussion) before any final decision is taken on the deal," Kakodkar told the media.
Kakodkar met the Prime Minister on Wednesday and briefed him about concerns on the nation's security as well as the country's three-stage nuclear power programme following the passage of US Congress bill on December 8 and which will become an Act shortly after US President George W Bush signs it.
Kakodkar has called for a meeting to discuss and analyse the Bill in detail for taking appropriate steps, with six scientists, who had written a joint letter in August 2006 to the Parliament and the Prime Minister, expressing concerns.
These scientists were Dr Homi Sethna, Dr P K Iyengar (both former AEC chairmen), Dr A N Prasad (former BARC director and member of IAEA inspection team to Iraq), Dr A Gopalakrishnan (former Chairman Atomic Energy Regulatory Board), Dr Placcid Rodriguez (former Director of Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam) and Dr M R Srinivasan (former AEC chairman and currently AEC member).
The venue of the meeting has been kept secret as the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) did not want any media interference, top DAE sources told.
"The Prime Minister told me that everbody, who are involved directly or indirectly with the deal, will be kept on board (for discussion) before any final decision is taken on the deal," Kakodkar told the media.
Kakodkar met the Prime Minister on Wednesday and briefed him about concerns on the nation's security as well as the country's three-stage nuclear power programme following the passage of US Congress bill on December 8 and which will become an Act shortly after US President George W Bush signs it.
Kakodkar has called for a meeting to discuss and analyse the Bill in detail for taking appropriate steps, with six scientists, who had written a joint letter in August 2006 to the Parliament and the Prime Minister, expressing concerns.
These scientists were Dr Homi Sethna, Dr P K Iyengar (both former AEC chairmen), Dr A N Prasad (former BARC director and member of IAEA inspection team to Iraq), Dr A Gopalakrishnan (former Chairman Atomic Energy Regulatory Board), Dr Placcid Rodriguez (former Director of Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam) and Dr M R Srinivasan (former AEC chairman and currently AEC member).
The venue of the meeting has been kept secret as the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) did not want any media interference, top DAE sources told.
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