New Delhi, September 11
The first meeting of the UPA-Left committee on the Indo-US civil nuclear cooperation agreement today framed the broad issues for discussion even as there was no indication from either side that it would tone down its public stance on the contentious aspects of the deal.
The issues, include implications of the Hyde Act on the 123 Agreement and on the self-reliance in the nuclear sector and also on the foreign policy and security cooperation. Significantly, there was no mention of “operationalisation” of the agreement on whose definition the two sides have wide differences.
The next meeting of the committee has been scheduled for September 19.
Sources said the UPA representatives gave a note to the Left leaders at the meeting, which touched on various issues concerning the deal. Though RSP also gave a note on the deal, it was decided that the Left would give a joint note. The Left parties are likely to meet on September 14, the day Atomic Energy Commission chairman Anil Kakodkar leaves for the annual general meeting of IAEA, to decide on the contents of their formal note to the UPA, which would be given to Mukherjee.
Sources said the government appeared keen to find a mechanism to address reservations of the Left parties, who have been stringent in their criticism of certain aspects of the nuclear deal.
None of the leaders made lengthy intervention at today’s meeting as its main agenda was to workout a broad framework for further discussion.
The sources said notwithstanding the start of a formal dialogue, neither Left parties nor the Congress gave any indication that their leaders would desist from
publicly airing their divergent views on the deal. Science and technology minister Kapil Sibal, who is a member of the committee and a vocal supporter of the deal, is likely to visit Kerala as part of his official engagements and talk to the media on the deal .
CPI(M) leader Prakash Karat had said yesterday that the Left would not be convinced on the line that the Hyde Act has “no role” and “no effect” on the 123 Agreement.
The committee was formed after the Left parties had strongly opposed several aspects of the deal and warned the government of serious consequences if the government operationalises the 123 Agreement without addressing their concerns.
