PM likely to await US law on nuclear issue

New Delhi, Aug 16: Ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement on the Indo-US nuclear deal in the Rajya Sabha tomorrow, the Congress today gave clear indications that the UPA government would not be in a hurry to address the U S domestic concerns and would prefer to wait and watch for the U S law before making any conclusive reactions.

Congress Spokesman Abhishekh Manu Singhvi said that his party's view was clear and India affirmed its commitment to the July 18 statement and would keep off the U S domestic concerns expressed in various forms in U S law making bodies.

"The feeling within the Congress is that the country has to await the U S legislation. If it is a deviation of the July 18 understanding, than we should be able to tell the U S", Mr Singhvi said. This would mean that the PM would wait for the U S law to take its final shape before giving out his conclusive reactions, sources said.

The Congress statement assumes importance after a two hour long meeting of top nuclear scientists including Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Anil Kakodkar and former Chief R Chidambaram with the Prime Minister accompanied by National Security Advisor M K Narayanan and Foreign Secretary Shyam Sharan. The PM is to make his statement in Rajya Sabha on the crucial issue tomorrow.

While the Opposition on its part is building up pressure on the non-NDA parties supporting the government to parade its MPs and protest against the nuclear deal before President A P J Abul Kalam, the Congress doesn't want to be caught in any wrong posture on the issue by stating that any deviation from the July 18 statement will not be acceptable to India.

UNI

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