Us Nuclear Commercial Deal Not Yet Signed, Still Under Consideration

[Sidhu...Sidhaarth Roy]

[b][size=5][color=#2E2F2F][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]New Delhi: Ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's trip to the US, the government is clearing the decks to take the Indo-US nuclear negotiations further, which has been stalled over America's objections to the civil nuclear liabilities law. Government sources say that the nuclear commercial deal has not been signed, but is under consideration. Denying that there is any pressure on the government to dilute the civil nuclear liabilities law, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said, "I cannot say there is intense pressure. Negotiations take place with the maximum and minimum position. There is a range of accommodation, there is legitimate, acceptable and possible but you try to get the best bargain for yourself and I think that's why protracted negotiations are take place. We must for India, get the best bargain." According to sources, the Attorney General has given his opinion that instead of the government, the Indian nuclear entity will be able to decide on recourse in case of a dispute. The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) is expected to take up the first commercial contract between the Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) and Westinghouse. Meanwhile, rejecting the notion that the government is not going to follow the nuclear law, Minister of State PMO V Narayanasamy said, "As far as the news item that is appearing that the government is not going to follow the nuclear liability law is incorrect. In fact from government's side, we will go by the rule book. Whatever nuclear liability law says we will go by that and there is no shift in the nuclear liability law from our side, because we have also made an assurance on the floor of Parliament that we will go by the law and the rules." But hitting out at the Prime Minister, senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said, "The PM who is on the verge of his departure from office after six months should not bypass Indian laws to try to show some trophy in far away countries. That is plainly not acceptable.
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