UPA-Left to discuss Hyde Act

NEW DELHI: The UPA-Left Committee on the Indo-US nuclear deal on Tuesday decided to discuss the implications of the Hyde Act on the 123 agreement and on self-reliance in India's nuclear sector.

The first meeting of the committee, headed by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, decided to frame the broad issues to be taken up for discussion later.

Besides the implications of the Hyde Act, the 15-member panel also decided to discuss the implications of the deal on foreign policy and security cooperation, Mukherjee told reporters after a meeting.

The next meeting of the committee would be held on September 19, he said.

Apart from Mukherjee, the meeting was attended by leaders of the four Left parties, Prakash Karat, Sitaram Yechury (both CPI-M), A B Bardhan, D Raja (both CPI), Debabrata Biswas (Forward Bloc) and T J Chandrachoodan (RSP).

Mukherjee's cabinet colleagues representing the Congress-led coalition, A K Antony, P Chidambaram, Kapil Sibal, Saifuddin Soz, Prithviraj Chavan, Lalu Prasad of RJD, T R Baalu of DMK and NCP chief Sharad Pawar, were also present.