India to draw own conclusions if US changes nuclear deal: PM

New Delhi, Aug 17 (UNI) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today asserted that India would '' draw its own conclusions'' if the proposed legislation before the US Congress was at variance with the July 2005 joint statement and the March 2006 Separation Plan of the India-US Civilian Nuclear Deal.

''I had taken up our concerns with US President George W Bush,'' the Prime Minister said in his 70-minute reply on the short duration discussion in the Rajya Sabha on the India-US deal.

''If the US legislation or the Nuclear Suppliers Group guidelines are extraneous to the July 2005 statement and the March 2006 Separation Plan, the government will draw its own conclusions consistent with my assurances to Parliament,'' the Prime Minister said.

Thus, the Prime Minister made it clear in so many words that there was no question of India accepting any deviation in the original agreement of 2005.

Dr Singh also allayed the fears expressed by the Opposition -- led by the BJP -- and the Left Parties that the US inspectors could be freely roaming the Indian nuclear installations. The Separation Plan provides for only India-Specific IAEA inspection and there was no question of any third country inspectors at ''our nuclear installations'', he averred.

''We are firm on not allowing any extra obligations to what has been already agreed in the July 18, 2005 statement...'' On Iran, the Prime Minister asserted that India would not accept any linkages between the deal and India's sovereign foreign policy.

''We reject any linkages ...'' He informed the House that he would meet the country's leading nuclear scientists on August 26 with specific attention accorded to the objections raised by a section of them. These would include the members of the Atomic Energy Commission.'' We have to build a broadbased national consensus on this issue,'' he said.

Addressing concerns about the US reneging on continuing N-fuel supplies -- with memories of post-1998 US sanctions still fresh in mind, Dr Singh said, '' We retain the rights to maintain strategic N-fuel reserves.'' He reaffirmed India's determination to adopt the safeguards on designated civilian installations ''only after all restrictions have been lifted''.

The Prime Minister said while he did not know the final outcome of the proposed US legislation, President Bush had assured him that shifting goal-posts was not the intention of the US Government.

Eds: Pls pick up suitably from earlier series.

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