Saran discusses N-deal with Advani

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's special envoy on the Indo-US civil nuclear agreement, Shyam Saran, met Leader of the Opposition and BJP's prime ministerial candidate L K Advani on Wednesday in what is being termed as a last ditch effort to get the deal off the ground, politically.

The move is being seen as the UPA government's determination to put in all efforts at successfully concluding the deal before the end of the Bush administration.

Sources confirm that Saran met Advani and briefed him on the current status of the deal, the negotiations with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for a safeguards agreement and the fact that President George W Bush's term as president of the US was ending.

"Saran stressed on the urgency of the situation saying that with the US presidential elections on the roll, the end of the Bush administration could also mean the end of the Indo-US nuclear deal," said a source.

Advani, on his part, stressed the BJP's stated position that certain provisions in the Hyde Act, which pertained to India's right to test nuclear devices, were still a matter of worry for the party.

Sources also confirmed that the government would try and woo its Left allies by saying that the deal was only a gateway to nuclear co-operation with other countries, including China, Russia and France.

"The attempt is to make the Left see this as a key to nuclear co-operation across the world, with a lot of business going the way of other countries, not just the US," said a source.

US ambassador to India David C Mulford had also warned on Monday that speed was of the essence when it came to concluding the deal. The IAEA negotiations are almost done and the government is desperately trying all avenues to drum up support.