02-25-2008, 04:54 PM
<b>Countdown to nuke D-Day after budget</b>
K.P. NAYAR
Washington, Feb. 24: <b>The core of the Manmohan Singh government has resolved that it would cement an Indo-US strategic partnership before the end of its term, trashing opposition from Left parties and reservations about the Indo-US nuclear deal among some constituents of the UPA.</b>
The decision to retain Ronen Sen as ambassador to the US for another year was taken after the leadership of the government decided that it would operationalise the nuclear deal with the US before it demits office, risking the disapproval of the Left parties.
The decision followed recent, unexpected progress in the negotiations between the rigid, non-proliferationist bureaucracy at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna and the Indian delegation to the talks on a safeguards agreement as a prelude to the international communityâs assent to nuclear trade with New Delhi.
Sources in Vienna said the signalled support of IAEA director-general Mohamed ElBaradei for the Indo-US nuclear deal softened the attitude of the agencyâs negotiators although he did not at any stage personally intervene in the negotiations.
The sources predicted that India and the IAEA would come to a complete agreement on safeguards in the next two to three weeks.
That agreement with the IAEA will lead to a special session of the Nuclear Suppliers Group to approve changes in rules to allow global nuclear commerce with India.
The negotiations with the IAEA are being conducted on the Indian side in unprecedented secrecy. Only two officials, one an alter ego of Atomic Energy Commission chairman Anil Kakodkar and the other a disarmament expert at the Indian mission in Geneva who is trusted by national security adviser M.K. Narayanan, are privy to what is happening in Vienna.
The Telegraph spoke to three of about 15 people in the government who are privy to the strategy to operationalise the nuclear deal during its current life.
They said negotiations would be started with the Left parties outlining the merits of the agreement with the IAEA shortly after concluding the negotiations on an India-specific safeguards agreement.
<b>If the Left parties do not show accommodation of the governmentâs line, they will be told to âtake it or leave itâ, but only after the budget session of Parliament.</b>
Thereafter, New Delhi will approach the US Congress for approval of the 123 Agreement and subsequent steps for operationalisation of the nuclear deal <b>even if the Left parties withdraw support to the government.</b>
The rationale behind this strategy is that with limited time left for the life of the present government, it would rather complete the nuclear deal with the US than remain friends with the Left parties as India goes into a general election in late 2008 or early 2009.
The finalisation of this strategy and a decision on extending Senâs tenure in Washington became imperative in view of the visit of US defence secretary Robert Gates on Monday.
Gates hopes to secure some firm commitments during his visit on defence purchases by India from the US.
But that seems unlikely: therefore, India would at least like to give an assurance to Gates that it will operationalise the nuclear deal while in office and outline a road map in that direction.
K.P. NAYAR
Washington, Feb. 24: <b>The core of the Manmohan Singh government has resolved that it would cement an Indo-US strategic partnership before the end of its term, trashing opposition from Left parties and reservations about the Indo-US nuclear deal among some constituents of the UPA.</b>
The decision to retain Ronen Sen as ambassador to the US for another year was taken after the leadership of the government decided that it would operationalise the nuclear deal with the US before it demits office, risking the disapproval of the Left parties.
The decision followed recent, unexpected progress in the negotiations between the rigid, non-proliferationist bureaucracy at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna and the Indian delegation to the talks on a safeguards agreement as a prelude to the international communityâs assent to nuclear trade with New Delhi.
Sources in Vienna said the signalled support of IAEA director-general Mohamed ElBaradei for the Indo-US nuclear deal softened the attitude of the agencyâs negotiators although he did not at any stage personally intervene in the negotiations.
The sources predicted that India and the IAEA would come to a complete agreement on safeguards in the next two to three weeks.
That agreement with the IAEA will lead to a special session of the Nuclear Suppliers Group to approve changes in rules to allow global nuclear commerce with India.
The negotiations with the IAEA are being conducted on the Indian side in unprecedented secrecy. Only two officials, one an alter ego of Atomic Energy Commission chairman Anil Kakodkar and the other a disarmament expert at the Indian mission in Geneva who is trusted by national security adviser M.K. Narayanan, are privy to what is happening in Vienna.
The Telegraph spoke to three of about 15 people in the government who are privy to the strategy to operationalise the nuclear deal during its current life.
They said negotiations would be started with the Left parties outlining the merits of the agreement with the IAEA shortly after concluding the negotiations on an India-specific safeguards agreement.
<b>If the Left parties do not show accommodation of the governmentâs line, they will be told to âtake it or leave itâ, but only after the budget session of Parliament.</b>
Thereafter, New Delhi will approach the US Congress for approval of the 123 Agreement and subsequent steps for operationalisation of the nuclear deal <b>even if the Left parties withdraw support to the government.</b>
The rationale behind this strategy is that with limited time left for the life of the present government, it would rather complete the nuclear deal with the US than remain friends with the Left parties as India goes into a general election in late 2008 or early 2009.
The finalisation of this strategy and a decision on extending Senâs tenure in Washington became imperative in view of the visit of US defence secretary Robert Gates on Monday.
Gates hopes to secure some firm commitments during his visit on defence purchases by India from the US.
But that seems unlikely: therefore, India would at least like to give an assurance to Gates that it will operationalise the nuclear deal while in office and outline a road map in that direction.