Can Neither Mend Nor End Nuclear Deal: Pranab

The Hindu
Mar 20, 2008

NEW DELHI: Facing a stringent attack from Opposition members in the Rajya Sabha, the government on Wednesday said it could “neither mend nor end” the India-U.S. nuclear agreement as it was in dialogue at the International Atomic Energy Agency . Responding to a short duration discussion on foreign-policy related developments, Union External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee initially did not refer to the deal as, he said, there was nothing to report. However, when the Opposition and Left members insisted that he state the government’s position, Mr. Mukherjee said, “Leader of Opposition Jaswant Singh said we should either mend it or end it, but we are at a stage that neither it can be ended nor it can be mended because we are in dialogue,” he said. Noting that there was some advancement in talks on the India-specific safeguards agreement at the IAEA, the Minister said, “whenever the procedure is over, if it is over,” the government will come to Parliament.