July 28, 2006

Press Statement

The Left Parties wish to reiterate their stand regarding the Indo-US nuclear agreement. At their meeting held on July 22, the Left parties had decided that since the United States had attached a number of terms and conditions which affects the independent development of our nuclear technology and our strategic autonomy, the matter should be raised in parliament.

The negotiations conducted with the United States, the legislation which has been proposed in the committees of both the House of Representatives and the Senate in the US Congress all go to show that many changes have been brought about which are not in tune with those initially spelt out by the Prime Minister through his statement in parliament on July 29, 2005. The bill adopted in the House of Representatives also confirms this fact.

The Left parties are of the firm opinion that parliament should discuss the matter so that the sense of parliament is expressed whereby the parameters of the agreement can be defined to counter any pressures and changes sought to be brought about. This matter cannot wait till the legislation is finally adopted in the US Congress.

The Left parties urge the government to realize that this is an issue of vital national importance and the opinion of parliament needs to be clearly spelt out now which cannot be done simply through a suo-moto statement.

Prakash Karat                                             A.B. Bardhan

General Secretary, CPI(M)                      General Secretary, CPI

Debabrata Biswas                                              Abani Roy

General Secretary, AIFB                                  Secretary, RSP