PM consults nuke scientists; no shifting of goal posts

New Delhi, Aug 16: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who had a two-hour meeting with top nuclear scientists and security experts today, is likely to assure the Rajya Sabha tomorrow that India would not allow the United States to shift the goal posts of the July 18, 2005 Indo-US deal for cooperation in civil nuclear energy.

Dr Anil Kakodkar, Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) and Dr R Chidambaram, Pricipal Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister, National Security Adviser M K Narayanan and Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran were among those who attended the meeting.

Dr Singh had convened the meeting in the wake of eight top nuclear scientists, including three former AEC Chairmen, expressing concern over the US Congress' reported move to deviate from the nuclear deal and urging Parliament to set the ''ground rules'' for the implementation of the agreement on the basis of reciprocity.

The government has rejected the demand of the Opposition and the Left parties for adopting a ''sense of Parliament'' resolution, but has agreed to short duration discussions in the Rajya Sabha (tomorrow) and the Lok Sabha (next week).

The Prime Minister, who has already conveyed India's concerns to US President George Bush over certain provisions of the draft US Bill adopted by the US House and Senate committees, is expected to make a categorical statement in both Houses of Parliament, while replying to the discussions, that no deviation from the July 18 deal was acceptable to New Delhi.

Former External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh has also taken exception to Dr Singh's remarks that India would wait for the final shape of the proposed US legislation to approve the implementation of the deal.

The Prime Minister had made the statement after Mr Bush had assured him that the US Congress would address the concerns of India and that certain provisions of the proposals approved by the House and Senate committees were aimed at accommodating the views of some members and these were not binding clauses.

Dr Singh and Mr Bush had held a 45-minute meeting on the sidelines of the G8 summit held at St Petersburg, Russia, last month.

Addressing a press conference last week, Mr Natwar Singh, however, said he would be the first person to stand up in the Rajya Sabha and congratulate the Prime Minister if Dr Singh assured the House that India would stick to the provisions of the deal, including gradual progress on reciprocal basis and a permanent waiver for supply of nuclear plants and technology, instead of an annual review sought to be imposed by some US law makers.

Dr Kakodkar has also gone on record stating that the US was trying to shift the goal posts of the deal.

Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma told reporters that today's consultations were a formal review meeting.

The scientists who voiced their concerns two days ago include former AEC Chairmen H N Sethna, M R Srinivasan and P K Iyengar.

Their objections related to the infringement on indigenous research and development, perpetual safeguards and Parliament's right to decide the basic principles on which the deal should be implemented.

UNI

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