N-deal to go ahead: Govt

Political crisis deepens as Left, UPA harden stance.

India would attend the 51st Annual General Conference (AGC) of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), scheduled in Vienna from September 17 to 21 and Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) Chairman Anil Kakodkar would represent India, the government said.

The government made this assertion even as the logjam over the formation of a panel to discuss the Hyde Act deepened.

The government said no preconditions could be accepted on the formation of the panel, but the Left parties repeated their demand that until the Hyde Act panel gives a report, India should suspend all negotiation on the Indo-US civil nuclear agreement.

This came after a meeting of the four Left parties. "We want to put a semi-colon to this deal, which will eventually turn into a full stop," said Debabrata Biswas, leader of the Forward Bloc, summarising the mood in the meeting.

The Hyde Act, which was passed by the US Congress in 2006, provides a legal framework for a bilateral pact between the US and India. Under this, the US will provide access to civilian nuclear technology and nuclear fuel under IAEA safeguards.

Talks with the IAEA over inspections and safeguards for India's civil nuclear reactors ""one of the key reasons for Left party protests "" will mark the first step in implementing the nuclear deal.

"We will attend the AGC because we're a member of the Board of Governance. And if Dr Kakodkar holds bilateral talks on the sidelines of the conference, can he be stopped?" said a minister. "We have to initiate talks with the IAEA. Stalling is out of the question," the minister added.

Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon confirmed that Manmohan Singh would seek Japan's cooperation in negotiations when India approached the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers' Group, the multinational body that controls the export and re-transfer of materials for nuclear technology, during Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit starting today. Japan is a key member of the NSG.

According to Communist Party of India (CPI) sources, CPI (M) General Secretary Prakash Karat conveyed to them that he did not favour anyone from the Left parties joining the panel.

"He has told us: we're not interested (in the panel). At most, a Left-leaning scientist could sent as a left representative," a top CPI leader said.

To keep a dialogue going with the Left, Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee and CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yechuri had an hour-long discussion. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Suresh Pachauri was also present.

After the meeting, Mukherjee told reporters: "The situation remains unchanged." Yechuri added: "There is no breakthrough yet. We are discussing the issue. We don't want the government to go to IAEA."