Pranab replies to Left's queries on nuclear deal

New Delhi, Jul 7 (UNI) The government has responded to the Left parties' queries on whether it intended to seek the IAEA Board of Governors' approval of the India-specific Safeguards Agreement on the Indo-US nuclear deal.

A letter to this effect by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, the Convenor of the UPA-Left panel on the deal, was delivered this afternoon at the offices of the four Left parties -- CPI(M), CPI, Forward Bloc and RSP.

CPI National Secretary D Raja confirmed the receipt of the letter.

He told UNI, ''The government is proposing one more meeting of the UPA-Left panel on the deal, that is all.'' In a joint letter to Mr Mukherjee here on Friday, the Left had sought ''to know definitely whether the government is proceeding to seek the approval of the Safeguards Agreement by the Board of Governors of the IAEA.'' They had set a three-day deadline for the reply.

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