Left to take up 123 agreement with govt after Aug 7

New Delhi, Aug 3 (UNI) Left parties today sought to " thoroughly" analyse the text of the 123 agreement before they take up the issue with the Centre, adding that they would finalise their formal response and reaction here on August 7.

The top leadership of the CPI(M), CPI, Forward Bloc and RSP will converge at A K Gopalan Bhawan, the CPI(M) headquarters to delibrate on the 23-page agreement, the text of which was released today.

The threadbare discussion was imperative to find out whether their "apprehensions" had been removed even as the US has given its firm committment to New Delhi creating the necessary conditions for assured and full access to fuel for its reactors, the Left leaders told UNI.

CPI(M) Polit bureau member Sitaram Yechury and CPI national Secretary Shamim Faizi said they needed time to arrive at a considered reaction and response on the text.

"We are studying it. Left parties are meeting on coming Tuesday to finalise our considered opinion on the text," Mr Yechury said.

Under the agreement the US has also assured of its support to New Delhi in developing a strategic reserve of nuclear fuel to guard against any disruption of supply in the lifetime of India's reactors.

The top leadership of the CPI(M), CPI, Forward Bloc and RSP are also expected to take up the issue with the government anytime next week after finalising their reaction.

Even as the top leaders insisted that the Tuesday meeting would focus on the single issue of 123 agreement, others said they might also take up the issues that have to be raised during the Monsoon session of Parliament commencing on August 10.

Forward Bloc national Secretary D Devrajan said the Left parties had been expressing their apprehensions from time to time in and outside Parliament on the US game plan to interfere in India's nuclear research and activities and, India being" trapped" to toe the US line on Iran among other things.

Another issue they termed as" worrisome" is the proposed joint naval exercises in the Indian waters next month." We may discuss it as well," Mr Devrajan added.

UNI