Karunanidhi welcomes PM's assurance on nuke deal

Chennai, Dec 19 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today welcomed as ''sweet news'' Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's announcement that the Indo-US nuclear deal would not be allowed to affect the country's strategic programme.

The world would live in peace if the nuclear deal, which had been clinched for the constructive purpose, was strictly adhered to, he said in a statement here.

Mr Karunanidhi also said he heaved a sigh of relief on seeing reports that Cuban leader Fidel Castro did not have cancer and his condition was not terminal.

''I was stung by the news that Castro was afflicted with cancer.

After reading the statement of US Congress members, who visited Cuba, that he did not have the disease, I heaved a sigh of relief,'' he added.

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