Government managers on Friday conceded to the Left that informal consultations with the IAEA over the safeguards agreement could not be avoided, but indicated that steps towards operationalisation of the nuclear deal would not take place until the UPA-Left committee completed its deliberations.
The joint panel headed by external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee, which held its third round of consultations on Friday evening, once again saw an exchange of notes over the subject of implications of the 123 agreement on India?s foreign policy.
The government gave its response to the Left?s viewpoint on foreign policy implications. The Left had earlier handed over a note on the issue. The next round of meeting is to be held on
October 9 instead of October 14, due to Eid. A brief statement read out by Mukherjee at the end of the two-hour-long meeting said the discussions were held in a cordial atmosphere and will continue on October 9. ?All members of the committee took part in the meeting. The meeting carried forward the earlier discussions on the basis of inputs provided by both sides,? he said.
Left sources said they were told by the government that it had to go on with informal consultations with the IAEA. However, a senior Left leader said any formal negotiations with the IAEA would be the breaking point.
Forward Bloc leader Debabrata Biswas, who attended the meeting, said the Left parties have the impression that the government would not go ahead with operationalising the deal till the committee completes its discussions and comes out with findings.
Meanwhile in Mumbai, the department of atomic energy issued a press release asserting that it is ?not holding any formal negotiations with the IAEA for drafting the safeguards agreement?. The Left will now closely watch the visit of IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei to New Delhi next week.
Earlier during the day, Left parties insisted that that they would withdraw support if the government proceeded with operationalising the agreement. ?The question is whether India goes ahead with (operationalising) the agreement. Then we will have to see. If they proceed, we have already made it clear that our support will no longer be there,? CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury said .
