IAEA approval against national interest: JD(U)

Patna, Aug 2 (UNI) Former Union Minister and senior JD(U) leader Jagannath Mishra today said the approval by the International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA) in Vienna, paving the way for India to secure nuclear fuel, was against the national interest.

In a statement issued here, Dr Mishra said once the Indo-US agreement was finalised, India would have to open 14 of its 22 atomic reactor stations for inspection by the IAEA by 2014. This would put the security concern of the nation in back burner and jeopardise the sovereignty of the country, he added.

''India cannot afford to put its atomic reactor stations out from the inspection of the IAEA,'' Dr Mishra said, adding for three decades, not a single atomic reactor was established in the US as it was in search of a market for its technology and India was a suitable destination.

He demanded that the three-phase nuclear programme, propounded by noted scientist Dr Homi Jehangir, should continue without any leniency.

UNI KKS-RS ADG SBC KN1828