Pranab Mukherjee stresses on essentiality of nuclear deal

At the heart of Communists, External Affairs Minister, Pranab Mukherjee warned of “global sanction” and isolation in sanction too, if India did not seal nuclear deal with the US. We did not live in isolation. But if we fail in finalising the civil nuclear deal, we might face sanction, he said while addressing the 176th annual general meeting of the Calcutta Chamber of Commerce.

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He said talks is still going on regarding the negotiation of the draft safeguards agreement between India and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which is essential in operationalising the civilian nuclear deal.

Pranab Mukherjee said, “We have still not lost the hope.” He said that they were trying their best to find a common ground on the draft safeguards agreement necessary to make effective the deal. The government’s attempts to get fuel supply guarantees in the safeguards agreement is yet to meet with any success. The external affairs minister said the government would place the draft safeguards agreement before the UPA-Left panels to get a political go ahead for the deal.

“After finalising the agreed draft text we will come back to the Left leaders and the United Progressive Alliance-Left Committee to discuss and then will proceed according to the political arrangements made with Left supporters,” he said.

The Left, however seems in no mood to give its consent for taking the next step on the agreement.

Mukherjee said that the government was trying to frame bilateral and multilateral pacts with countries that could supply nuclear fuel. Because he said, nuclear deal will clear the way for energy co-operation not only with the US but also France, Russia and other nations.

The External Affairs Minister further said, “My ministry is aware of these challenges and is making all attempts by focusing on bilateral and multilateral engagements for co-operation with source countries.”

Mukherjee said with a smile on his face that the arguments being made against the nuclear deal reminds me of those made against computers and automation in the 1970s and the 1980s. Now we all recognise the importance of computers and feel how far we would be in absence of that.

“All problems on the energy front will be resolved” through talks with those opposed to the deal,” he expressed hope and added, “We cannot depend upon coal reserves alone for our energy security. In view of environmental concerns, we must think of future generations.”

Few days ago US ambassador to India David Mulford had warned that “time is essence” and time is running out for the nuclear deal. He said the race for the US presidential election was already dominating American politics and the polarization has started shifting away from the president George Bush and a failure to complete the process now would mean that the nuclear deal would be put in cold storage at least for two years.

As far as negotiations with the IAEA are concerned, India and IAEA have failed yet to finalise a draft of the IAEA safeguards agreement. With India unable to conclude the safeguards agreement, the US has not been able to approach the NSG for a waiver. Mulford said the Bush administration had wanted IAEA and NSG steps to be completed by January so that to take the 123 agreement to the US Congress for approval.