Left slams Indo-US joint statement

After two days of assessment, Left parties have strongly criticised the Indo-US joint statement. The CPI has been strident in its criticism,...

After two days of assessment, Left parties have strongly criticised the Indo-US joint statement.

The CPI has been strident in its criticism, taking pot shots at Manmohan Singh for yielding too much in return for too little. The CPIM, a little guarded but nevertheless caustic, has said the Prime Minister agreed on nuclear cooperation without consulting supporting parties, especially the Left.

The CPI wondered why the joint statement was being touted as a major achievement when the 8220;US has neither supported India8217;s claim to the UN Security Council membership nor recognised it as a nuclear weapons power8217;8217;. It is angry that 8220;India has agreed to concede its unilateral moratorium on nuclear testing8221; in return 8220;for these ambiguous and limited assurances8221;.

Referring to the nuclear cooperation deal, the CPIM has questioned 8220;the manner in which such a vital issue has been decided with the US by the UPA government8221;.

It added: 8220;It was incumbent on the Government to place their views and proposals for discussion with all the parties concerned before deciding on the course of action.8217;8217;

Referring to the secret parleys between the then Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh and Strobe Talbott, the CPIM said: 8220;The UPA Government should not continue this undemocratic piece.8217;8217;

The party has taken Singh to task for 8220;applauding the US leadership either for spreading democracy or combating terrorism8221;. It reminded the UPA that 8220;Iraq today is a glaring example of how imperialist aggression and state terrorism has resulted in an upsurge of terrorist violence.8217;8217;

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Unlike the CPI, which has questioned the prudence of opening nuclear facilities for inspection without acknowledgement of India8217;s status as a nuclear power, the CPIM has gone back to its stated position on nuclear weapons. The party says: 8220;It does not subscribe to the views emanating from those who advocate nuclear weaponisation as a path for India8217;s 8216;great power8217; status. In fact, the party has insisted that the current agreement marks an end to India8217;s nuclear disarmament policy.8217;8217;

The CPIM adds: 8220;There are legitimate apprehensions that with intangible promises made by the US, restrictions will be imposed which are going to hamper the pursuit of an independent nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.8217;8217;

It warns: 8220;It is important that India carefully calibrate its steps strictly in response to the measures taken by the US, the Nuclear Suppliers Group and the IAEA.8221; The CPI is harsher still. 8220;This amounts to a unilateral reversal of India8217;s earlier nuclear policy without prior discussion in Parliament, the UPA or the Left partners,8217;8217; it says. The party adds that it 8220;strongly opposes this joint statement8221;.

No N-equation: US

WASHINGTON: Defending its decision to give aid to India on nuclear-power related issues, the Bush administration said there could be no equation between India and Pakistan on the matter. 8216;8216;There is no reason for us to have a hyphenated strategic framework for South Asia. There are issues where the US policy intersects and there are issues where we can have individual relationships with both countries. And certainly in the case of civil nuclear cooperation, we are going to have individual relationships,8221; Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns said. 8212;PTI