NEW DELHI, Nov 16: India said on Friday it would soon begin crucial talks with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to push the civil nuclear agreement with the United States. But Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee also admitted that the outcome would have to be approved by the government’s Left Front allies, who strongly oppose the deal, before a formal pact can be signed with the nuclear watchdog.
What it means is, according to some analysts, that the nuclear deal has been effectively stalled till the end of this year, well past the deadline set out by Washington. The Left and the UPA joint committee on the civil nuclear energy agreement, at a 90-minute meeting on Friday, has decided to “examine” the impact of the provisions of the US Hyde Act and the 123 Agreement on the safeguards agreement which New Delhi will now negotiate IAEA.
“This will require talks with the IAEA secretariat for working out the text of the India-specific safeguards agreement. The government will proceed with the talks and the outcome will be presented to the (Left-UPA) committee for its consideration before it finalises its findings,” Mr Mukherjee said, quoting a joint statement on Friday.
CPI-M General Secretary Prakash Karat said: “We have come to an understanding that the government will go to the IAEA. The outcome of these talks will be brought to the committee for its consideration. The text will not be initialled before the committee considers it and gives its findings.”
The forward movement for the government comes a week after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi had crucial talks with Mr Karat and CPI General Secretary A. B. Bardhan last week when the government sought the allies’ clearance for approaching the IAEA on the condition that it would not initial any agreement.
