04-28-2008, 06:42 AM
<!--emo&:ind--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/india.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='india.gif' /><!--endemo--> Advani slams N-deal <!--emo&:thumbsup--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbup.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='thumbup.gif' /><!--endemo--> ,
<!--emo&:thumbdown--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbsdownsmileyanim.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='thumbsdownsmileyanim.gif' /><!--endemo--> Brajesh says grab it
28 Apr, 2008, 0443 hrs IST, TNN
NEW DELHI: Even as BJPâs prime ministerial candidate L K Advani on Sunday reiterated his partyâs opposition to the India-US nuclear deal, saying it could not go ahead in the present form as it barred New Delhi from further tests, Brajesh Mishra, national security adviser in the previous NDA government, contradicted the stand in a TV interview.
<!--emo&:devil--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/devilsmiley.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='devilsmiley.gif' /><!--endemo--> Mishra said India should go ahead with the agreement, failing which India would have a "severe loss of face" and suffer a setback to its atomic programme. He said the deal should be concluded with the Bush administration as a change of government in the US would make things difficult for India.
<!--emo&:cool--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/specool.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='specool.gif' /><!--endemo--> BJP quickly clarified the views of Mishra, NSA under A B Vajpayee, were his own and he did not represent the party.
Noting that he had talks with government representatives and scientists, Mishra said he was convinced that the deal would not affect Indiaâs strategic programme.
Asked about BJPâs opposition to the deal on the premise that it barred India from conducting tests, Mishra said, "In my view, we are not restricted from carrying out tests, and more or less, the programme we had devised before we left the NDA government is ongoing."
Mishraâs comments fly in the face of BJPâs contention that the deal will affect Indiaâs strategic autonomy, its nuclear military programme and its independent foreign policy.
Earlier in the day, Advani told a TV channel that no country could give in writing that it would not undertake nuclear tests in future.
"No country can... has any other country said that hereafter we will have no further tests? Has the US given any such undertaking, has any other country which has so much nuclear weaponry said it in writing? It is one thing to voluntarily give it up but to say it in writing as part of a treaty is another," he said.
Though there is no ban on future atomic tests, Mishra agreed that "exercising that option means a lot of hardships â economic and otherwise â because sanctions will inevitably follow".
Specifically asked whether the UPA government should proceed with the deal despite opposition from BJP and the Left parties, he said, "That is a political question... my personal view is that given the harmful effects of not going ahead, perhaps we should go ahead and do it."
Mishra said Indiaâs three-stage nuclear programme would also "suffer a setback" if the deal fell through.
"Obviously, dual-use technology will not be available to us if we donât go through with this and, of course, it is a setback," he said. Mishra also said that India would have to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and the option of nuclear tests was bound to be closed.
"CTBT is equal for all. There is no discriminatory treatment in it. Which is why if other countries mentioned in the treaty ratify, India canât hold back. India will have to sign it and we will have no argument to go against it," he said.
Courtesy: www.timesofindia.com
<!--emo&:thumbdown--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbsdownsmileyanim.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='thumbsdownsmileyanim.gif' /><!--endemo--> Brajesh says grab it
28 Apr, 2008, 0443 hrs IST, TNN
NEW DELHI: Even as BJPâs prime ministerial candidate L K Advani on Sunday reiterated his partyâs opposition to the India-US nuclear deal, saying it could not go ahead in the present form as it barred New Delhi from further tests, Brajesh Mishra, national security adviser in the previous NDA government, contradicted the stand in a TV interview.
<!--emo&:devil--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/devilsmiley.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='devilsmiley.gif' /><!--endemo--> Mishra said India should go ahead with the agreement, failing which India would have a "severe loss of face" and suffer a setback to its atomic programme. He said the deal should be concluded with the Bush administration as a change of government in the US would make things difficult for India.
<!--emo&:cool--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/specool.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='specool.gif' /><!--endemo--> BJP quickly clarified the views of Mishra, NSA under A B Vajpayee, were his own and he did not represent the party.
Noting that he had talks with government representatives and scientists, Mishra said he was convinced that the deal would not affect Indiaâs strategic programme.
Asked about BJPâs opposition to the deal on the premise that it barred India from conducting tests, Mishra said, "In my view, we are not restricted from carrying out tests, and more or less, the programme we had devised before we left the NDA government is ongoing."
Mishraâs comments fly in the face of BJPâs contention that the deal will affect Indiaâs strategic autonomy, its nuclear military programme and its independent foreign policy.
Earlier in the day, Advani told a TV channel that no country could give in writing that it would not undertake nuclear tests in future.
"No country can... has any other country said that hereafter we will have no further tests? Has the US given any such undertaking, has any other country which has so much nuclear weaponry said it in writing? It is one thing to voluntarily give it up but to say it in writing as part of a treaty is another," he said.
Though there is no ban on future atomic tests, Mishra agreed that "exercising that option means a lot of hardships â economic and otherwise â because sanctions will inevitably follow".
Specifically asked whether the UPA government should proceed with the deal despite opposition from BJP and the Left parties, he said, "That is a political question... my personal view is that given the harmful effects of not going ahead, perhaps we should go ahead and do it."
Mishra said Indiaâs three-stage nuclear programme would also "suffer a setback" if the deal fell through.
"Obviously, dual-use technology will not be available to us if we donât go through with this and, of course, it is a setback," he said. Mishra also said that India would have to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and the option of nuclear tests was bound to be closed.
"CTBT is equal for all. There is no discriminatory treatment in it. Which is why if other countries mentioned in the treaty ratify, India canât hold back. India will have to sign it and we will have no argument to go against it," he said.
Courtesy: www.timesofindia.com