N-deal does not curtail autonomy

New Delhi, Aug 13: Asserting that the Indo-US nuclear deal 'does not in any way' affect the country's right to conduct a test in future, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today strongly rejected the contention of the Left and opposition parties that the agreement curtailed the country's strategic autonomy and impinged on its independent foreign policy.

''Let me hence reiterate once again that a decision to undertake a future nuclear test would be our sovereign decision, one that rests solely with the Government,'' Dr Singh assured the Lok Sabha in a detailed eight-page suo motu statement, made amid pandemonium.

The Left parties also staged a walk-out towards the end of Dr Singh's half-an-hour statement, apparently rejecting his contentions.

''...this Agreement does not in any way inhibit, restrict or curtail our strategic autonomy or capabilities. Our rights to pursue our three-stage nuclear power programme remain undiluted,'' he said even as SP and BJP members stood in the well of the House and raised slogans against the deal and the UPA government.

In the 'unlikely event' of cessation of cooperation, there 'is no derogation of our rights' with regard to corrective measures.

Also, India's reprocessing rights were upfront and were permanent in nature. Advanced R and D programmes and intellectual property rights (IPR) protection were fully safeguarded, he said, taking half-an-hour to read out the prepared text.

The Left parties have demanded to put on hold the text of the 123 agreement, which would operationalise the nuke deal. Dr Singh did not refer to this demand in his statement. He said the agreement was between two states possessing advanced nuclear technologies, both parties having the same benefits and advantages.

''...we have achieved an agreement that is good for India, and good for the world....I will let history judge; I will let posterity judge the value of what we have done through this agreement,'' he said.

Giving credit to India's negotiators for clinching the deal, he said it could potentially transform the economic prospects of the country.

''...there is no question that we will ever compromise, in any manner, our independent foreign policy. We shall retain our strategic autonomy,'' the Prime Minister said.

Dr Singh said the text of the agreement had made it clear that he had fully adhered to the commitments he had made to Parliament, including those on August 17 last year.

''I had given Parliament my assurance that the Government will make every effort so that the vision of the Joint Statements of July 2005 and March 2006 becomes a living reality.

''I believe that we have redeemed that pledge. In concluding this Agreement, we have ensured that the autonomy of our strategic programme is fully maintained, and that Dr Homi Bhabha's long-term vision remains our guiding principle,'' Dr Singh said.

''There is nothing in the (123) Agreement that would tie the hands of a future Government or legally constrain its options to protect India's security and defence,'' he said.

UNI