'Take Parliament into confidence on nuclear deal' : Vajpayee to PM

New Delhi, May 28 (UNI) Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to 'satisfy' both Houses of Parliament before commiting the country to the Indo-US Nuclear Deal.

Mr Vajpayee, the Chairman of the Opposition National Democratic Alliance said under normal circumstances, the government is not required to seek parliamentary approval for signing an international agreement, but yet, Dr Singh had given specific assurances to the Parliament last year and it is incumbent upon him to satisfy both Houses, before confirming the deal, that the assurances he has given have been fulfilled.

He said the media reports claimed that the deal was almost ready for approval of the governments of the two countries. A senior official has claimed that the deal is 90 per cent ready. Such being the case, it is necessary that Parliament be taken into confidence given the nature of provisions which had generated controversy, including some of the provisions of US legislation, Mr Vajpayee added.

UNI