Hagel says N-deal will sail through

The Senator, who met PM Manmohan Singh at 7.15 this evening, met Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Jaswant Singh and MoS in the Foreign Ministry Anand Sharma. His six-day visit to the subcontinent will include stopover at Pakistan and Afghanistan as well.

“We want to assure India’s neighbours, including Pakistan and China, that this is not an agreement based on isolation, but on the merits of the agreement. I will answer all their questions,” the Senator said.

Refuting comments last week by visiting US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher that India needed to further specify its minimum credible deterrent, Hagel said Boucher’s views did not reflect any “new condition” in the nuclear deal.

“I don’t speak for the administration, but I am little puzzled that he made that comment. It is not what I have been led to believe from hearings. I don’t think it’s a condition,” Hagel said.

Speaking on Iran as an issue in the Congressional debate, Hagel said, “All questions on Iran are legitimate. The implications need to be thought through, but as it stands, this deal has no additions or subtractions.” Hagel leaves for Mumbai tomorrow ahead of the arrival of US Speaker of the House Dennis Hastard.