Date:18/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/18/stories/2008031860370100.htm

Front Page

More talks needed, says UPA-Left panel

Vinay Kumar

NEW DELHI: The United Progressive Alliance-Left Committee on the India-United States civil nuclear cooperation on Monday felt that further discussions were needed on the draft India-specific safeguards agreement that was negotiated with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Reading out a brief prepared statement after the seventh meeting of the 15-member committee, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said: “The members felt that further discussions were needed. It was decided to hold the next meeting in April.” He said the outcome of the negotiations between India and the IAEA on the India-specific safeguards agreement was presented to the members at the meeting, which lasted for nearly 90 minutes. Mr. Mukherjee was accompanied by Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury, who is also a member of the committee.

The committee met after a gap of four months. The last meeting on November 16, 2007, allowed the government to proceed with the talks with the IAEA while mandating that the outcome be presented to the committee before it finalises its findings.