The Hindu Business Line : Grey areas in nuclear deal will be sorted out: Manmohan

Asserting that "nuclear swaraj" will be maintained at all cost, the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, admitted to the existence of some "areas of concern" in the Bill recently passed by the US Congress on the Indo-US civil nuclear deal.

Strongly defending the deal in a debate in Parliament on the same day that the US President, Mr George W. Bush, was scheduled to sign the Bill on nuclear co-operation into law, Dr Singh dismissed the Opposition's charge that India would become a "client" State of the US.

However, he said that "clarifications" would be sought from Washington on the grey areas during further talks, which are going to be "difficult."

Nothing will be done that will "dilute, compromise or cast any shadow" on the independence of the country's foreign policy, he said, intervening in the debate started by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr L.K. Advani.

Asking Mr Advani not to "worry about India losing its nuclear swaraj," he said that outcomes of international negotiations were "not entirely predictable nor always under our control but compromises, if any, cannot violate basic principles."

The Prime Minister admitted that the "areas" in the Bill which "continue to be cause for concern to us" will have to be discussed with the US during negotiations on bilateral `123 Agreement,' which will operationalise the deal.

"Clearly, difficult negotiations lie ahead," he said, asserting that the outcome of the bilateral agreement should be awaited and any judgment on the Bill at the current juncture would be "premature."

India and the US have to work out the `123 Agreement' to implement the understanding reached on July 18, 2005 and in the March 2, 2006 Separation Plan.

"We will seek full civil nuclear co-operation on the terms acceptable to us," he said, adding that India will "find it difficult" to accept any "extraneous" elements, which were never part of the initial understanding.

"There are areas (in the new US law) which continue to cause concern. We will need to discuss with the US administration before the 123 Agreement is finalised."

Stating that the civil nuclear deal with the US was essential for India to meet its energy needs, he maintained that the country's weapons programme was outside its purview.

The CPI (M) described the Prime Minister's statement on the nuclear deal as "untenable," saying that Mr Bush was bound by the legislation enacted by the US Congress.

"The Prime Minister's assertions are untenable as Mr Bush is bound by the legislation passed by the US Congress," said CPI (M) leader, Mr Sitaram Yechury.

Mr Ravi Prakash Verma of the Samajwadi Party said that US actions in Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan have been of concern as it is trying to establish its hegemony in the world, which is why India should be more cautious in negotiating with Washington on the nuclear deal.

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