M A I N   N E W S

CPM wants PM to allay their nuke deal fears
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 15
The CPM today urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to address their concerns on the Indo-US nuclear deal, adding the party was not satisfied with the statement made by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

“The concerns raised by us on the Indo-US nuclear deal have not been properly addressed by Mr Mukherjee in his statement to Parliament,” party leader Rupchand Pal told reporters here, adding that "we want to hear the Prime Minister".

A debate on the nuclear deal is slated for Monday in the Lok Sabha to which Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is expected to reply.

Expressing hope that the Prime Minister would address all concerns of the Left and nuclear scientists, Mr Pal said, "We have pointed out that our concerns have not been properly addressed by the External Affairs Minister."

While the special discussion on the nuclear issue would be held on Monday, debate on the Approach Paper to the 11th Plan would be held on Tuesday, the last day of this session.

Observing that the new Act recently passed by the US Congress on the nuclear deal violated the intent of the Joint Statement by President George Bush and Dr Manmohan Singh, he said the Left concerns included those relating to full nuclear cycle, reprocessing and enrichment of nuclear fuel and dual-use technology.

Under the new Act, India would not be able to develop the use of thorium without importing technology and also require annual good conduct certification by the US President, he said, adding there were serious implications relating to India's independent foreign policy which, as per the new law, should be "congruent" to US foreign policy interest.

"We will be bound to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, which we have been opposing so far, in a different manner," he said.

These, Mr Pal said, would have serious implications on India's sovereign foreign policy and its strategic interests.

He pointed out that “goal posts have been shifted”. Two new provisions had been included concerning (a) in case of US canceling its obligations it would help facilitating alternate fuel supplies from friendly countries of the nuclear supplier group (NSG). This was now restricted only under conditions of market failures and did not cover deliberate US termination.

Mr Pal said it was agreed that the US would help build strategic fuel reserve to ensure continuity of running our reactors for their lifetime. The final Act now explicitly bars any reserve other than normal operating reserves required to run our reactors.

The CPM leader said the US legislation ran contrary to most of the assurances given by the Prime Minister. This included provision of imposing restrictions and trade regimes barring access to duel-use nuclear technology thus denying India its full nuclear cycle. The annual good conduct certification by the US President remains.

There are nine references to India’s role being one of support and complicity with the US designs on Iran. The Act talks of India’s foreign policy being “congruent to that of the United States.” Instead of specific additional protocol meant for non-nuclear weapon countries.