CPI(M) says Hyde Act will lead the path of Indo-US nuke deal

New Delhi, Aug 2 (PTI) The C.P.I.(M.), spearheading the
Left opposition to the Indo-US nuclear deal Saturay alleged
that the safeguards agreement approved by the I.A.E.A. showed
that the US Hyde Act would determine the path of the deal.

"The provisions of the Hyde Act and not the assurances
made by the Indian Prime Minister in Parliament are shaping
the course of the Indo-US nuclear deal through the various
stages," the party said.

The C.P.I.(M.) Politburo issued the statement a day after
the I.A.E.A. unanimously approved the India-specific
safeguards agreement, which was hailed as "historic" by the
Congress.

Other Left parties have already attacked the agreement,
saying it does not recognise India's nuclear weapon status nor
does it protect its interests on issues like uninterrupted
fuel supply assurances.

The Left parties, which withdrew support to the
Government on the issue last month, have been stridently
critical of the Hyde Act which they allege would affect
India's sovereignty and strategic autonomy.

The C.P.I.(M.) noted that the safeguards agreement has
made it clear that 14 Indian civilian nuclear facilities will
come under perpetual I.A.E.A. safeguards from 2009.

"That the interpretation of the Indian government
regarding the corrective measures mentioned in the Preamble
of the Safeguards Agreement providing for a check against
disruption of fuel supplies does not hold has been made clear
by the I.A.E.A.," it claimed.

Citing a statement from I.A.E.A. Director General Mohamed
El Baradei, the party said it implied that nuclear facilities
could be withdrawn from safeguards only after they are no
longer usable for any nuclear activity.

"This belies the Prime Minister's assurance in Parliament
that India's civilian nuclear facilities would be put under
perpetual I.A.E.A. safeguards only under the strictly
reciprocal condition of uninterrupted fuel supply guarantee,"
it said.

Besides, C.P.I.(M.) added that neither the 123 Agreement
with the United States provided any such fuel supply guarantee
nor can the I.A.E.A. ensure interrupted fuel supply since the
Vienna-based body is only a monitoring agency.