Govt determined to go to IAEA

The Govt has conveyed its intention, a day after the UPA-Left committee met to discuss ways to avert a confrontation on the implementation of the deal, reports N R Chaudhury.

The government is determined to go to the International Atomic Energy Agency to conclude an India-specific safeguards agreement, but officials have not yet been given the green light to go to the Board of Governors in Vienna.

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While official sources are unwilling to specify a time line for the India-US civil nuclear cooperation agreement to be finalized, a senior official said the IAEA process could take between “72 hours (three days) and 45 days.”

At the Nuclear Suppliers Group, where informal negotiations are ongoing, though India is not a member, the matter of a waiver for India can only take place once the Indian government gives a nod. “There is no question of anything going on auto pilot,” an official said.

With a nod from India, not only the United States, but leading NSG members like Russia, France and Britain would also pull out all stops to help the India-specific waiver come into force. When it comes through, India will be able to resume trade in nuclear fuel and technology for its civilian power sector.

“The N-deal is a package deal, it is not just confined to the Indo-US,” a diplomat said. “Though we will try to adopt it (a waiver for India to begin nuclear commerce with the international community) as soon as possible, the NSG will need a couple of weeks to finalise the matter.”