Let us seal IAEA, others may scuttle: UPA to Left

Deal Left to get back May 28; time running out, says Govt, safeguards as good as it gets.

Making a strong plea to the Left to at least allow it to confirm the India-specific Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA, the Government today argued that if this didn8217;t happen, India stands the risk of allowing other countries to scuttle it.

At the eighth meeting of the UPA-Left committee on the Indo-US nuclear deal today, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said that time was running out for India as a change in the composition of the IAEA Board next September-October could imperil the current draft safeguards agreement. The Government also underlined that the safeguards agreement is unique 8212; as it recognises India8217;s strategic programme and clearly restricts all application of safeguards to the civilian side 8212; and that its approval is a pre-condition for nuclear commerce with any country.

The Left wanted to see the text of the agreement. Declining this request 8212; on the grounds that it would be a breach of the negotiation process 8212; the Government agreed to provide selective and relevant portions of the text by the next meeting of the UPA-Left committee on May 28.

For its part, the Left agreed it would 8220;clarify8221; its position on the specific issue of proceeding with IAEA in the next meeting. Confirming this, a top Left leader told The Indian Express that the next meeting will be 8220;crucial8221;. Asked if there was any change in the Left8217;s position and whether it would allow the government to confirm the safeguards agreement, he said, 8220;Let the Government furnish all the details first. A lot more clarity is required.8217;8221;

It may be noted that until this meeting, the Left was not showing any urgency towards taking a decision. However, the government came armed with examples of accommodating Left concerns on the conduct of foreign policy and also illustrated the growing stridency among some developing countries, especially those affiliated to Non-Aligned Movement, to speak out against the deal.

The government8217;s arguments have put the Left in a dilemma because even as the Left opposed the Indo-US civil nuclear deal, it favoured nuclear cooperation with other countries like China, France and Russia. Meanwhile, the UPA government8217;s timeline for the operationalisation of the 123 agreement has shrunk.

Scheduling the next UPA-Left meeting on May 28 meant that it missed the Nuclear Suppliers8217; Group plenary scheduled in the third week of May. It will require special effort on the part of the US to convene a special meeting of the NSG should the need arise.

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Although the IAEA Board is also scheduled to meet early June, there will be little time to circulate the India-specific safeguards agreement among member countries ahead of its confirmation. It would necessitate a special IAEA Board meeting.

At today8217;s meeting, the government8217;s interlocutors Pranab Mukherjee and Kapil Sibal sought to address the Left8217;s concerns about the IAEA safeguards agreement. The Left was apprehensive about the uninterrupted fuel supplies guarantee, full civil nuclear cooperation, the issue of reciprocity and implications of the deal on India8217;s foreign and security policies.

Issues including the settlement of disputes and terms and conditions for cessation of the agreement were also discussed in today8217;s meeting. The Left was also learnt to have asked about the possibility of having an international arbitration or a third-party involvement in the deal.