(Lead)

New Delhi, March 17 (IANS) The United Progressive Alliance (UPA)-Left committee on the nuclear deal Monday discussed the outcome of the negotiations between India and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on a safeguards agreement, ended without any conclusion and decided to meet again in April. The panel did not take any decision on whether the government will proceed further on the India-Us nuclear deal or not.

The 15-member panel headed by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee met at 5.00 p.m. The meeting went on till 6.20 p.m.

After the meeting, Mukherjee read out a statement: “The committee felt further discussions were needed.

“The outcome of the negotiations between India and the IAEA on the India-specific safeguards agreement was presented to the members of the committee,” Mukherjee said.

The Left leaders who were insisting on a look at the draft agreement between India and the IAEA, however said they did not get to see a copy of it.

“The Left is not happy. The government explanation on IAEA talks did not satisfy us. We want to see the agreement,” T.J. Chandrachoodan of the Revolutionary Socialist Party told IANS.

The India-specific safeguards pact is a necessary step to make the deal operational. The Left had given a green light to the government to hold talks with the UN atomic watchdog with the condition that the final draft of the pact would have to be approved by the UPA-Left panel.

Leaders of the four Left parties, which support the Manmohan Singh government from outside, met before starting the meeting with the UPA leadership.