02 July 2007

Press Statement

 The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:

 On Nuclear Weapons on Board USS Nimitz

 The Chief Officer of the naval group comprising the USS Nimitz has refused to  confirm or deny the presence of nuclear  weapons on board the Nimitz.  This is in keeping with the standard US navy guideline which states, “It is the policy of the US government to neither confirm nor deny the presence or absence of nuclear weapons at any general or specific location.” (OPNAV INSTRUCTION 5721. IF)

 The Ministry of Defence and the US Embassy had earlier issued statements that there were no nuclear weapons on board the US ship.  These are  statements which misinform the Indian people.  Rear Admiral John Terence Blake, Commander of the Carrier Strike Group told the media on June 30 on board the  Nimitz  that “We can neither confirm nor deny the presence of weapons on board the ship.”

 The  significance of the visit of the USS Nimitz is that the UPA government is step by step implementing the defence framework agreement with the United States which will convert India into a military ally of the United States.