BJP delegation meets PM on Indo-US nuclear deal

New Delhi, July 26: The BJP today refused to comment on the Indo-US Nuclear deal, saying that it would give its formal reaction only after seeing the full contents of the agreement.

"We can give our comment on after ascertaining whether our concerns have been met and the assurances given by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Rajya Sabha over the nuclear deal have been fulfilled," BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad said, after a high-level delegation led by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, attended a meeting called by the Prime Minister to apprise the BJP about the agreement.

The delegation which included Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Jaswant Singh, Yashwant Sinha, BJP President Rajnath Singh and Arun Shourie, Mr Prasad said, told the Prime Minister that it was difficult for them to say anything at the moment unless they got to know about the full text of the agreement. But the delegation had clearly conveyed to Dr Singh that the country's nuclear sovereignty and strategic interests should be met by the agreement.

''While we are all for Indo-US cooperation, but it should never be at the cost of the nation's nuclear sovereignty and strategic interests,'' he added.

While debating in Parliament over the issue, the BJP had raised four things--that no compromise be made on India's strategic interests, over its nuclear sovereignty, the country's freedom to have its independent foreign policy and the categorical assurance by the US on the supply of fuel to its reactors. Party sources said the delegation reminded the Prime Minister what had happened to the bilateral agreement with US for supply of fuel for Tarapore nuclear installation, with the supply of fuel stopped after the Pokhran nuclear test in April 1974.

Therefore, as a lot of money was being spent on nuclear installations it must be ensured the US supplies fuel for the reactors,'' the delegation sought to impress on Dr Singh, Mr Prasad added.

UNI