ID :
13349
Tue, 07/22/2008 - 12:40
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http://m.oananews.org//node/13349
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N Deal a passport for cooperation with the world: Mukherjee
New Delhi, Jul 21 (PTI) Government Monday said it will seek the consent of the Parliament before operationalising the Indo-US nuclear deal which it described as a "passport" forcooperation with the international community.
Making a strong defence of the nuclear deal during the debate on confidence motion, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee rejected the Left parties' allegations of betrayal and took pot-shots at Leader of Opposition L. K. Advani, saying he should not "distort" facts in "over enthusiasm" toscore political points.
He sought to allay fears on account of the Hyde Act, saying it had no reflection in the 123 agreement and the "prescriptive" elements in the US law will never be acceptableto India.
Emphasising the government's commitment to non-proliferation, he said "we still believe nuclear weapons are not to win battles. It is total disruption and destructionof civilisations".
At the same time, he added that civil nuclear initiative with the US would end the country's 30-year-old isolation and help reduce electricity deficit by 1.50 lakh MWby 2050.
He said unless India gets exemption from Nuclear Suppliers Group (N.S.G.), even "friends" like Russia andFrance cannot agree to cooperation in the civil nuclear field.
"N.S.G. and I.A.E.A. clearances are like passport and visa. Whether we travel or not, it depends on us. If there isno passport we cannot travel," he said.
"Please, let us have this passport and visa. Then we will decide if travel and if we travel, what should be the destination," he said in an impassioned speech that won him accolades from Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Prime MinisterManmohan Singh and other colleagues.
Terming Parliament as the "ultimate master", Mukherjee said "whatever judgement you give, we will accept. We can onlyplead our case" on the nuclear deal.
Mukherjee, who has been an interlocutor between the government and Left allies during their four-year association, rejected their allegations that they had been "betrayed" on the nuclear deal issue, saying everything was done aftertaking them into confidence.
He had a "pointed" poser for them: "Keep your hand on your heart. Do you feel this is an issue on which the government should be brought down?" He took a dig at the Left parties and asked them notto associate with BJP in voting against the government.
Referring to CPI(M) leader Hannan Mollah's comments that Left parties could not "jump from a running train if BJP was also travelling" on the same, Mukherjee said "don't jump from the running train. Wait for the next station which is coming." Hailing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's "visionary approach" of undertaking the civil nuclear initiative with the US, Mukherjee said even legendary French President Charles de Gaulle had met with resistance when he started civil nuclearrevolution in his country after the end of World War II.
Attacking the BJP, particulary Advani, the Leader of the House said that like the nuclear deal, the saffron partyhad vigorously opposed India going to W.T.O. in early 1990s.
"But, later the N.D.A. government approved the same W.T.O. agreement, with "cosmetic changes" and got Parliament'sclearance with Congress support, Mukherjee said.
Attacking the N.D.A. government's track record, Mukherjee suggested that he was not sure whether any future Bharatiya Janata Party government would renegotiate thenuclear deal as was being claimed.
As Mukherjee was speaking, B.J.P. member Harin Pathaktried to interrupt him to forward his point.
With folded hands, Mukherjee asked him to allow him to speak but Pathak said he should be allowed to intervene as his "leader" Advani's speech was also interrupted 20 times byCongress members.
To this Mukherjee said: "Advani is a much biggerleader. He is prospective Prime Minister. I am a small player.
Don't compare me with Advani." Turning his attack on Left parties, the External Affairs Minister said that "till the other day", they had been claiming credit for all good things that the government haddone.
In this, he specifically referred to the Right toInformation Act and Forest Land Act for Tribals.
"You have been claiming that these were done under you pressure. Factually it is not correct because many of these initiatives were taken by the U.P.A.," Mukherjee saidaddressing the Left benches.
Justifying the nuclear deal, he said government wasfeeling the "pinch" on account of energy deficit.
The current power generation in the country is 1.45 lakh MW and by 2030, the electricity deficit would be 1.50lakh MW which will increase to 4.12 lakh MW.
But, if nuclear power generation starts today, thepower deficit will be reduced by 1.5 lakh MW by 2050.
Responding to questions as to why countries like the US and Russia were not resorting to nuclear power, Mukherjee saidthey were "floating in oil" and had good quality of coal.
He said India needs to import 1.6 billion tonnes of good quality coal and if it was done, all the ports of thecountry would be busy offloading this commodity only.
Rejecting Left's allegations of betrayal, Mukherjee said the government decided to give go-ahead to the International Atomic Eenergy Agency to circulate the frozen text among its Board of Directors after Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Prakash Karat announced that they werewithdrawing support.
Karat made the announcement at 12.30 PM (on July 8) which was 9.30 AM in Vienna, he said maintaining the draft wasunveiled only after that.
"Whatever happened was after that (Karat's announcement). So there is no question of betrayal," theExternal Affairs Minister said.
He said the text of the agreement was confidential between I.A.E.A. and Indian government and could not have been shared with Left parties as the United Nations watchdog hadsuggested that it be kept "restricted".
Mukherjee said the U.P.A.-Left committee had met nine times to sort out differences and if the Left had not withdrawn support, the findings of the U.P.A.-Left committeewould have been finalised on July 10.
Responding to concerns over applicability of Hyde Act on the 123 Agreement, he said "if anywhere it imposes conditionalities, that will be the breaking point." He asked the Left members whether they found anymention of Hyde Act in the 123 Agreement.
"We will never compromise India's foreign policy," he said. PTI AKK
Making a strong defence of the nuclear deal during the debate on confidence motion, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee rejected the Left parties' allegations of betrayal and took pot-shots at Leader of Opposition L. K. Advani, saying he should not "distort" facts in "over enthusiasm" toscore political points.
He sought to allay fears on account of the Hyde Act, saying it had no reflection in the 123 agreement and the "prescriptive" elements in the US law will never be acceptableto India.
Emphasising the government's commitment to non-proliferation, he said "we still believe nuclear weapons are not to win battles. It is total disruption and destructionof civilisations".
At the same time, he added that civil nuclear initiative with the US would end the country's 30-year-old isolation and help reduce electricity deficit by 1.50 lakh MWby 2050.
He said unless India gets exemption from Nuclear Suppliers Group (N.S.G.), even "friends" like Russia andFrance cannot agree to cooperation in the civil nuclear field.
"N.S.G. and I.A.E.A. clearances are like passport and visa. Whether we travel or not, it depends on us. If there isno passport we cannot travel," he said.
"Please, let us have this passport and visa. Then we will decide if travel and if we travel, what should be the destination," he said in an impassioned speech that won him accolades from Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Prime MinisterManmohan Singh and other colleagues.
Terming Parliament as the "ultimate master", Mukherjee said "whatever judgement you give, we will accept. We can onlyplead our case" on the nuclear deal.
Mukherjee, who has been an interlocutor between the government and Left allies during their four-year association, rejected their allegations that they had been "betrayed" on the nuclear deal issue, saying everything was done aftertaking them into confidence.
He had a "pointed" poser for them: "Keep your hand on your heart. Do you feel this is an issue on which the government should be brought down?" He took a dig at the Left parties and asked them notto associate with BJP in voting against the government.
Referring to CPI(M) leader Hannan Mollah's comments that Left parties could not "jump from a running train if BJP was also travelling" on the same, Mukherjee said "don't jump from the running train. Wait for the next station which is coming." Hailing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's "visionary approach" of undertaking the civil nuclear initiative with the US, Mukherjee said even legendary French President Charles de Gaulle had met with resistance when he started civil nuclearrevolution in his country after the end of World War II.
Attacking the BJP, particulary Advani, the Leader of the House said that like the nuclear deal, the saffron partyhad vigorously opposed India going to W.T.O. in early 1990s.
"But, later the N.D.A. government approved the same W.T.O. agreement, with "cosmetic changes" and got Parliament'sclearance with Congress support, Mukherjee said.
Attacking the N.D.A. government's track record, Mukherjee suggested that he was not sure whether any future Bharatiya Janata Party government would renegotiate thenuclear deal as was being claimed.
As Mukherjee was speaking, B.J.P. member Harin Pathaktried to interrupt him to forward his point.
With folded hands, Mukherjee asked him to allow him to speak but Pathak said he should be allowed to intervene as his "leader" Advani's speech was also interrupted 20 times byCongress members.
To this Mukherjee said: "Advani is a much biggerleader. He is prospective Prime Minister. I am a small player.
Don't compare me with Advani." Turning his attack on Left parties, the External Affairs Minister said that "till the other day", they had been claiming credit for all good things that the government haddone.
In this, he specifically referred to the Right toInformation Act and Forest Land Act for Tribals.
"You have been claiming that these were done under you pressure. Factually it is not correct because many of these initiatives were taken by the U.P.A.," Mukherjee saidaddressing the Left benches.
Justifying the nuclear deal, he said government wasfeeling the "pinch" on account of energy deficit.
The current power generation in the country is 1.45 lakh MW and by 2030, the electricity deficit would be 1.50lakh MW which will increase to 4.12 lakh MW.
But, if nuclear power generation starts today, thepower deficit will be reduced by 1.5 lakh MW by 2050.
Responding to questions as to why countries like the US and Russia were not resorting to nuclear power, Mukherjee saidthey were "floating in oil" and had good quality of coal.
He said India needs to import 1.6 billion tonnes of good quality coal and if it was done, all the ports of thecountry would be busy offloading this commodity only.
Rejecting Left's allegations of betrayal, Mukherjee said the government decided to give go-ahead to the International Atomic Eenergy Agency to circulate the frozen text among its Board of Directors after Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Prakash Karat announced that they werewithdrawing support.
Karat made the announcement at 12.30 PM (on July 8) which was 9.30 AM in Vienna, he said maintaining the draft wasunveiled only after that.
"Whatever happened was after that (Karat's announcement). So there is no question of betrayal," theExternal Affairs Minister said.
He said the text of the agreement was confidential between I.A.E.A. and Indian government and could not have been shared with Left parties as the United Nations watchdog hadsuggested that it be kept "restricted".
Mukherjee said the U.P.A.-Left committee had met nine times to sort out differences and if the Left had not withdrawn support, the findings of the U.P.A.-Left committeewould have been finalised on July 10.
Responding to concerns over applicability of Hyde Act on the 123 Agreement, he said "if anywhere it imposes conditionalities, that will be the breaking point." He asked the Left members whether they found anymention of Hyde Act in the 123 Agreement.
"We will never compromise India's foreign policy," he said. PTI AKK
