No private deal on CTBT : Fernandes

NEW DELHI, Oct 25 (PTI) — Defence Minister George Fernandes today denied there was any "private deal" between the USA and India on the question of signing the comprehensive test ban treaty (CTBT).

"There cannot be any kind of a private deal between the USA and India on signing or not signing CTBT. It is a national issue," Mr Fernandes said in a special discussion to be telecast on Doordarshan’s Metro channel.

Stating that the CTBT issue was before Parliament which had taken a position on it, he said, "I believe that until Parliament clears this thing, there is no question of signing it".

Participating in the discussion, former Prime Minister I.K. Gujral and Congress expert on foreign affairs K. Natwar Singh regretted that the government had not taken political parties into confidence on the issue. They underscored the need to evolve a national consensus on it.

Asked whether Mr Vajpayee in his UN speech had made a clear commitment, a conditional commitment or merely a statement of intent to sign the CTBT, Mr Fernandes said, "I would consider that as a statement of intent, nothing more".

On what issues needed to be resolved before India would be prepared to become a signatory to the treaty, he said, "Essentially, there are two issues. One — India has declared itself a nuclear weapon state but this is a proposition that is not acceptable to those who have a monopoly of the nuclear weapons. That is to say the P-5".

"And one would like to have a very clear view as to how exactly the USA and the P-5 generally look at the issue and how they recognise India," Mr Fernandes said.

The second issue, he said, was on the whole question of disarmament. "The CTBT is finally about nuclear disarmament. But is there any such intent on the part of those who today have a monopoly and who are using this treaty not for purposes for which it was originally designed or seemingly designed but to perpetuate their hegemony".

Mr Fernandes replied in the negative on whether the American side was more responsive to India’s position that curbs on dual use technology should be lifted. "As of how, I don’t think so".

Mr Gujral said it was unfortunate that the government had from day one made no effort to take the nation into confidence on the CTBT issue. "People like me who have dealt with the situation a few days before (this government assumed office) were never told anything", he observed.

Accusing the government of "putting the cart before the horse", Mr Natwar Singh said "we must first know what the discussions are between Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Jaswant Singh and US Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott.

"There should be a national consensus on this but that doesn’t exist today because they have not taken all parties into confidence", he said.

Mr Fernandes agreed that there should be a consensus and broad consultations. "This is point which is a very valid one on which action needs to be taken."

He also deprecated US Secretary of State Madeliene Albright for pressing India to put in place a nuclear restraint regime, asserting she had no authority to tell New Delhi what to do and what not do.

"I do not believe that the US Secretary of State is authorised to tell us what we should do and what we should not do in this regard and no power in the world is entitled to do that", Mr Fernandes said.