Date:05/12/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/12/05/stories/2007120561341400.htm

National

Requirements need to be fulfilled: Manmohan

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Tuesday that the agreements with Russia on the Koodankulam reactors in Tamil Nadu could be operationalised only if India had the approval of the International Atomic Energy Agency for India-specific safeguards and exemption from the Nuclear Suppliers Group.

In a brief intervention in the Rajya Sabha during a short duration discussion on the India-United States civilian nuclear agreement, the Prime Minister firmly rejected all charges levelled by senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha, labelling them as “falsehood” being propagated by the main Opposition party.

He said the IAEA and NSG issues were being discussed in different forums. It was quite obvious that in the absence of these two requirements, the agreement could not be signed. The Russians fully understood this position. “This is your false propaganda which is not related to the facts of the case,” Dr. Singh said in defence of his government.