10-30-2007, 01:52 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Let N-deal go through, Kissinger urges BJP </b>
Kumar Uttam | New Delhi
Not in present form, says Advani
As the US continued its efforts to garner BJP support for the much-opposed civilian nuclear agreement, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and US Ambassador to India David C Mulford met Leader of the Opposition LK Advani and BJP president Rajnath Singh respectively, here on Monday.Â
<b>Both the US envoys unsuccessfully tried to assuage the concerns of the BJP, which reiterated its "apprehensions remain in place" and the deal was "not acceptable" in its present form. Mulford had met Advani on Friday also</b>.
<b>"We would oppose the deal if it comes up for discussion in Parliament in its present form," former BJP president M Venkaiah Naidu said. </b>
While the US envoys remain tightlipped about what was discussed in the meeting, BJP sources revealed they wanted to understand the party's concerns as well as its position on the deal.
The US envoys explained to both the BJP leaders in detail the "highlights" of the deal and "provided an overview" of its various clauses. During his meeting, Kissinger is believed to have impressed upon Advani the need for allowing the deal to go through.
<b>In return, the senior BJP leaders, who briefed the US envoys about the party's concerns over India's strategic programme, right to conduct nuclear test and its impact on the country's independent foreign policy in the aftermath of having such an agreement in place, declined any commitment. </b>
The BJP, which clarified there was no shift in its stand vis-Ã -vis the deal, as being projected by a section of media, also lashed out at the Congress, saying what it was discussing with the Left as also what it proposes to discuss in Parliament was not known to it.
<b>"The Government has bungled at every stage. It has betrayed the nation, Parliament, the Opposition and the common people,"</b> Naidu said, accusing the Congress of mortgaging the sovereignty of the nation.
The BJP, which reiterated it was not "blindly anti-America", unlike the Communists, and wants India to have good relations with Washington, asserted it would re-negotiate the deal after coming to power. Rajnath Singh later called on Advani and briefed him about his meeting with Mulford.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Congress failed country by denying debate in Parliament.
Kumar Uttam | New Delhi
Not in present form, says Advani
As the US continued its efforts to garner BJP support for the much-opposed civilian nuclear agreement, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and US Ambassador to India David C Mulford met Leader of the Opposition LK Advani and BJP president Rajnath Singh respectively, here on Monday.Â
<b>Both the US envoys unsuccessfully tried to assuage the concerns of the BJP, which reiterated its "apprehensions remain in place" and the deal was "not acceptable" in its present form. Mulford had met Advani on Friday also</b>.
<b>"We would oppose the deal if it comes up for discussion in Parliament in its present form," former BJP president M Venkaiah Naidu said. </b>
While the US envoys remain tightlipped about what was discussed in the meeting, BJP sources revealed they wanted to understand the party's concerns as well as its position on the deal.
The US envoys explained to both the BJP leaders in detail the "highlights" of the deal and "provided an overview" of its various clauses. During his meeting, Kissinger is believed to have impressed upon Advani the need for allowing the deal to go through.
<b>In return, the senior BJP leaders, who briefed the US envoys about the party's concerns over India's strategic programme, right to conduct nuclear test and its impact on the country's independent foreign policy in the aftermath of having such an agreement in place, declined any commitment. </b>
The BJP, which clarified there was no shift in its stand vis-Ã -vis the deal, as being projected by a section of media, also lashed out at the Congress, saying what it was discussing with the Left as also what it proposes to discuss in Parliament was not known to it.
<b>"The Government has bungled at every stage. It has betrayed the nation, Parliament, the Opposition and the common people,"</b> Naidu said, accusing the Congress of mortgaging the sovereignty of the nation.
The BJP, which reiterated it was not "blindly anti-America", unlike the Communists, and wants India to have good relations with Washington, asserted it would re-negotiate the deal after coming to power. Rajnath Singh later called on Advani and briefed him about his meeting with Mulford.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Congress failed country by denying debate in Parliament.