PM, Sonia discusses N-deal mechanism

New Delhi, Aug 29: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi today discussed the contours of a "political mechanism" to go into the Indo-US Nuclear deal, amid indications that it will be formalised at a UPA-Left meeting here tomorrow. External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Defence Minister A K Antony were also present during the discussion that lasted nearly 40 minutes.

"The meeting discussed the modalities of a possible mechanism to address the apprehensions of the Left parties," a senior Congress leader said here today.

The top Congress leaders discussed in detail the suggestion from the Left parties that any arrangement should have leaders from both the UPA and the Left, which seems to have softened the latter's stand on the nuke deal in the context of reaching a consensus on the issue of putting in place a "political mechanism" to address its concerns.

Sources said the contours of the proposed mechanism, which was formalised by the Congress leaders today, would be formally communicated to the Left parties at a joint meeting, possibly tomorrow, so that it could be discussed and endorsed by incorporating the Left views on the nature of its functioning and terms of reference.

The Left had already urged the ruling UPA not to operationalise the 123 agreement on Indo-US Nuclear deal till the mechanism comes out with its findings on the implications of the US' Hyde Act on India's independent foreign policy and its sovereignty.

The Left has been insisting that there must be a time-frame for the mechanism to complete its work and come out with its findings.

Barring the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), the other three Left parties--CPI(M), CPI and the Forward Bloc-- had already expressed their readiness to join such a mechanism. The RSP had said that it would take its decision on the matter after internal discussions in the party.

There were reports that the mechanism would have eight members, four each from the Left and the UPA.

UNI