Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Safeguards agreement with IAEA not to impinge on India's strategic program: PM

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

New Delhi, July 15, IRNA
India-Nuke Deal-PM
India's Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in his first public comments after the Left parties withdrew support to the government over Indo-US nuclear deal, Tuesday said, "The Safeguards agreement with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will not impinge on India's strategic program."

Interacting with a group of editors at his residence in New Delhi, he said that India will never allow any extraneous interference in the conduct of its independent foreign policy.

The Prime Minister dismissed allegations by the Left and the main opposition Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) that the IAEA safeguards agreement will compromise India's strategic program. Dr Singh asserted that the agreement will in no way impinge on India's strategic program, which is entirely outside the purview of the IAEA safeguards agreement, said a brief note, issued by Prime Minister's edia Advisor after Singh's meeting with groups of editors.

Highlighting the opportunities for international cooperation in civil nuclear energy to meet the challenge of energy security and high technology development, he said, the IAEA accord will enable India to cooperate in this sector with all the 45 members of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

He said, these include USA, Russia, France and China and added that concluding the agreements with IAEA and the NSG would end the era of nuclear apartheid against India.

On inflation, the Prime Minister said, it is a major challenge for the government. He said, it is not a typical one but it is influenced by global factors.

In an expression of confidence that government will win the confidence vote in the Lok Sabha (Lower House of Indian Parliament) next week, the Prime Minister said that people understand the significance of the initiatives taken by the government and will endorse them.

Meanwhile, according to media reports received here the UN atomic watchdog's board of governors will meet on 1st August to discuss a draft safeguards agreement with India.

India would brief the watchdog's board of governors on Friday in preparation for the meeting.

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