Next steps of nuclear deal after Aug 1 IAEA meeting: Mukherjee

New Delhi, Jul 24 (PTI) A day after winning the mandate for going ahead with the Indo-US nuclear deal, Government Wednesday pinned hopes on the August one meeting of the I.A.E.A. Board of Governors, saying the next steps would be taken after the Boards's approval of the India-specificsafeguards agreement.

"There is no question of fast-tracking or slow-tracking (the nuclear deal). It is a process which is on," Mukherjee told reporters here when asked whether the confidence vote would now propel the government to steam ahead withimplementation of the nuclear deal.

Asked about the progress being made on the deal, he said, "I understand that the I.A.E.A. Board (of Governors) is meeting on August one." The I.A.E.A. Board is meeting to consider approval of the India-specific safeguards agreement which has been handedover to it recently.

On being questioned as to what steps the Government was taking to get N.S.G. clearance for the deal, Mukherjee said, further steps would be taken after the I.A.E.A. boardapproval.

After the I.A.E.A. clearance, India will have to get exemption from the N.S.G. before the US Congress could be approached for final vote. PTI SPC