Date:02/12/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/12/02/stories/2007120260521000.htm

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“Signs of yielding to U.S. pressure”

HYDERABAD: Communist Party of India (Marxist) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury told reporters here on Saturday that the Government was showing signs of succumbing to U.S. pressure to change its foreign policy even before the formal processes involved in the nuclear deal had commenced.

He also refuted the charge that the party had “softened” its stand on the deal and said the future course of action would be decided after the next United Progressive Alliance-Left meeting discussed the report of the team holding discussions with the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna.

Mr. Yechury said a majority of members opposed the deal in the Lok Sabha claiming that the agreement was not an issue related to nuclear commerce but aimed at pressuring India to change its external policy.

The country was showing signs of giving in to such pressure by not attending the trilateral meeting with Pakistan and Iran on the gas pipeline issue. “We are foregoing gas that is absolutely essential for the country’s energy security due to U.S. pressure,” he said.

The announcement by the State Bank of India that it would not issue letters of credit to companies in Iran seeking imports from India was another instance that substantiated the Left’s charge that the deal was not in favour of the country.

Replying to queries on whether the West Bengal government would allow feminist writer Taslima Nasreen to stay in Kolkata, he said it was the prerogative of the Centre to take a decision as the States had no role in issues relating to grant of visa.