The UPA and Left have no common ground in sight as their joint committee on resolving differences over the Indo-US nuclear deal meets for the third time tomorrow.

With the Congress showing no signs of slowing down on meeting milestones to conclude the deal and the Left leadership clear that “withdrawal of support is automatic the moment the next step is taken,” the meeting tomorrow is expected to achieve little.

The Left will demand specific clarification on the status of negotiations with the IAEA on the India-specific safeguard agreement and will raise the next point in the terms of reference of the committee — broader foreign policy issues related to India’s growing proximity with the US.

Sources familiar with the developments said that discussions on the Hyde Act, 123 Agreement, India’s self-reliance in nuclear programme and projected benefits from the deal for India’s power sector will close tomorrow “without either side conceding an inch.” The Left assessment of the government position is that it is unwilling to go slow.

The next set of issues such as India’s defence framework agreements with US, India’s vote against Iran in the IAEA will only widen the schism. The Left will bring these to the table tomorrow.

What may be in store is stated in the editorial of the forthcoming issue of People’s Democracy, the CPI(M) mouthpiece. “Surely, no one can expect the CPI(M) to support this UPA government, which in violation of the CMP, is continuing to pursue the direction of India’s foreign policy that was begun in the first place by the BJP-led NDA government,” it states.

... contd.