Date:26/07/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/07/26/stories/2007072662280100.htm

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Cabinet panels approve text of nuclear deal

Special Correspondent

Statement to be made in Parliament

NEW DELHI: A joint meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) and the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on Wednesday approved the text of the ‘123’ civilian nuclear cooperation agreement arrived at between Indian and American negotiators last week in Washington.

National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan and Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon, who conducted the Washington talks, briefed the Cabinet members on the “deal.” Prime Minister Manmohan Singh presided over the meeting.

Besides the four CCS members (Shivraj Patil, Pranab Mukherjee, A.K. Antony and P. Chidambaram), the CCPA comprises HRD Minister Arjun Singh, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, Transport Minister T.R. Baalu and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad.

The text would be presented to the Atomic Energy Commission for approval and it would meet here on Friday. Once it gives its sanction, the two countries are likely to release the text simultaneously.

Meets Left leaders

Dr. Singh met top Left leaders on Wednesday night to allay their concerns on the matter.

Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee told the media that “all concerns of India have been reflected and adequately addressed” in the agreement.

The Government would make a statement on the accord’s salient features on the first working day of Parliament. “Obviously, there will be a discussion.”

Mr. Mukherjee said Dr. Singh had invited the former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Leaders of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, L.K. Advani and Jaswant Singh, for discussions this week.

Leaders of other political parties would also be briefed on the agreement, he said.