The Hindu Business Line : UPA-Left panel on n-deal to meet again on May 28

More talks: Mr Pranab Mukherjee (right), Minister for External Affairs, with Mr Sitaram Yechury, CPI(M) leader, after the UPA-Left meeting on the Indo-US civil nuclear agreement, in the Capital on Tuesday.

Our Bureau

New Delhi, May 6 The UPA-Left panel on Indo-US civilian nuclear deal, which met here on Tuesday, would be meeting again on May 28.

The External Affairs Minister and government’s chief negotiator with the Left on the issue, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, said after the meeting that in-depth discussions were held by the panel members on the ongoing negotiations between India and the global atomic watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on firming up India-specific safeguards agreement.

“The Left parties have sought further clarifications, which will be provided in the next few days,” Mr Mukherjee told newspersons after a 90-minute meeting of the panel.

He said in-depth discussions were held on the India-specific safeguard agreement between India and the IAEA. “Further discussions will be held in the next meeting of the committee on May 28,” he added.

The Left parties are likely to meet on May 23 to decide their strategy ahead of the panel’s next meeting.

The Left has been opposing the deal on the grounds that conditions laid down by the Hyde Act would impinge on India pursuing an independent foreign policy and make it “subservient” to the US’ strategic interests.

Related Stories:
Way out of the nuclear deal
Facts and fiction on the nuclear deal
Setback to nuclear deal could hurt FDI inflows: Tata
Nuke deal does not take away right on future tests