We are going to Vienna, India to tell G8

NEW DELHI, JULY 6 With the Samajwadi Party willing to back the UPA Government on the Indo-US nuclear deal, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will take the all-important leap during his visit to the G8 Summit and tell US President George W Bush that India has decided to move forward on the remaining steps, starting with confirming the IAEA safeguards agreement on his return.

It’s learnt that the government has decided that the PM will convey an unambiguous message on the nuclear deal to not only Bush, but even to key leaders of China, Australia, Mexico, South Africa, Brazil, Japan and Germany apart from Russia, France and UK in a bid to canvass support for India’s case at the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). Germany is the current chair of NSG.

Without indicating a specific date, sources said, the PM will make it clear that the political uncertainty in New Delhi over the nuclear deal was nearing resolution and a decision on approaching the IAEA with the safeguards agreement will be taken “very quickly” soon after he returns. He will also ask Bush to start making the necessary preparations to move the NSG for a “clean exemption” as committed by the US in the July 2005 joint statement.

India and US, it may be noted, are working to telescope the timeframe for the IAEA and NSG processes so that both can move simultaneously. Taking 45 days from July 15, officials feel both countries can aim to complete both processes by early September. This will allow the Bush Administration to approach the US Congress with a Presidential determination that all steps mandated by the Hyde Act had been duly completed.

Given that the Left has taken a stand that it will withdraw support from the UPA government the moment it decides to confirm the safeguards agreement to IAEA, sources said, the government was not keen to precipitate a political crisis while the PM is abroad. As a result, the all-important decision to approach the IAEA will be taken only on his return.

However, the government is certain not to keep the US and other key countries guessing. It is in this context that the government has decided to send out a clear signal on the issue political high table in Toyako where 16 important countries will be present. Most of them are NSG members and have been awaiting a clear decision from New Delhi on the issue.

In fact, French President...

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We are going to Vienna, India to tell G8

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