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Left demands debate in Parliament on Iran issue
The UPA ally termed vote against Iran as not in conformity with independent foreign policy. What next for Iran?
In a muted reaction to India's vote at IAEA, Left parties on Sunday demanded a full debate in Parliament ahead of the "crucial" March meeting of the nuclear watchdog, but expressed deep concern over the "violation" in the Common Minimum Programme by the Manmohan Singh Government in economic matters, including on airport privatisation.
Contrary to their earlier tough postures against India voting in favour of any resolution which calls for referral of Iran's nuclear programme to the UN Security Council, they said India's stand was "regrettable" and "not in conformity with the pursuit of an independent foreign policy."
The parties demanded a full debate in the Budget Session of Parliament on what stand New Delhi should take at the next meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in March, which will take up the report of its Director General Mohammad El-Baradei on Tehran's nuclear programme.
IAEA ressolution "questionable"
The parties, which provide vital outside support to the UPA coalition Government, felt that the resolution adopted by the IAEA in Vienna on Saturday to report Iran's nuclear programme to the UN Security Council was "questionable."
"At the present juncture such a move will not be helpful in resolving the Iran nuclear issue through negotiations within the framework of the IAEA," CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat told reporters after a meeting of the Left parties here.
He said "the stand taken by India at the IAEA meeting is not in conformity with the pursuit of an independent foreign policy and maintenance of good relations with Iran which is in our national interests."
"Yesterday's vote was not a decisive one ...And we are not making it an issue, Karat said after the meeting attended by CPI leader A B Bardhan, D Raja and Gurudas Das Gupta and Abani Roy and G Devarajan from the RSP and Forward Bloc, respectively.
However, the forthcoming meeting of the nuclear watchdog in March was "crucial" and the Government should not be party to any move for referral of Iran to the Security Council not countenance any recommendation for taking action through the UNSC, Karat said.
