India still waits to see what form legislation takes: Sharma

New Delhi, June 30 (UNI) India said tonight that it was still waiting to see what form the legislation for approving the July 18 Nuclear Deal takes and asserted there was no question of New Delhi compromising its pursuit of an independent foreign policy or its national interest.

''...We have keenly followed the debate in the US House International Relations Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee which have passed the Bill on Indo-US Civil Nuclear Cooperation by huge majorities. It is important to note that this is bi-partisan endorsement of the mutual wish of India and US for civil nuclear cooperation as expressed in July 18 Joint Statement,'' Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma told some select reporters.

He said there was no question of India accepting any fresh obligations and that there had been no departure from the July 18 statement or any dilution of the same.

No development had taken place in the intervening period to justify the Memorandum to the President.

''There is no question of India compromising in any manner its pursuit of an independent foreign policy and in the safeguard of the national interest,'' he added.

Describing the passing of the Bill by the two Committees as ''initial steps'' he said India was still waiting to see what form the legislation took.

He reiterated that India would engage the US and other countries and international partners in civilian nuclear matters on the basis of mutual understandings in conformity with the July 18 Joint Statement, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Statement on March 11 and the Separation Plan tabled in Parliament.

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