New Delhi, February 28
The India-IAEA talks have chartered into highly sensitive issues over which the two sides are still far from reaching an agreement.
Five rounds of the talks have already taken place in Vienna and according to available indications the Indian team is still not convinced that it has got the best deal yet from the international nuclear watchdog, which can be frozen and signed at a suitable date. The talks are being kept under wraps and all officials here who have reasons to be in the know of things are maintaining utmost secrecy.
However, India is unfazed by sustained pressure being exerted by the United States on the need for India to clinch an India-specific safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) so that the Nuclear Suppliers Group’s waiver can be obtained immediately thereafter.
Foreign secretary Shivshankar Menon made it clear that Indian negotiations with the IAEA will take its own time. Menon, speaking to reporters after his meeting with US under secretary of commerce Mario Mancuso on hi-tech exports here, said India was aware of the timetable. Menon said the government was trying hard and hoped to wrap up the agreement with the IAEA “as soon as possible”.
