'That Time Has Come'

'...the Left parties had decided that if the government goes to the IAEA Board of Governors, they will withdraw support. In view of the Prime Minister's announcement, that time has come...'

Left Parties

Updated on: 8 July 2008 12:00 am

Letter to Pranab Mukherjee, External Affairs minister of the UPAGovernment

July 8, 2008

Shri Pranab Mukherjee
Convenor
UPA-Left Committee on Indo-US Nuclear Cooperation

Dear Shri Pranab Mukherjee,

This is regarding your letter dated July 7, 2008. You have stated that ameeting of the UPA-Left Committee on Indo-US Civil Nuclear Cooperation will beheld on July 10.

We wish to point out that in the sixth meeting of the Committee held onNovember 16, 2007, it was decided, regarding the talks with the IAEA, that:"The government will proceed with the talks and the outcome will bepresented to the Committee for its consideration before it finalises itsfindings".

Till now, the "outcome of the talks", i.e., the text of theSafeguards Agreements negotiated with the IAEA Secretariat has not been madeavailable to the Committee.

Without the text, the Committee cannot come to any findings.

Since the UPA has refused to provide the text to the members of theCommittee, no purpose will be served by having a meeting on July 10.

Further, your proposal for a meeting on the 10th is rendered meaninglesssince the Prime Minister, while travelling abroad, has chosen to announce thatthe government will be going to Board of Governors of the IAEA "verysoon".

As you are aware, the Left parties had decided that if the government goes tothe IAEA Board of Governors, they will withdraw support. In view of the PrimeMinister's announcement, that time has come.

Sd/-
(Prakash Karat) (A.B. Bardhan)
(Debabrata Biswas) (T.J. Chandrachoodan)