Safeguards pact won’t affect domestic N-programme: AEC chief
The India-specific safeguards agreement will not affect the country’s domestic nuclear technology development programme, said Dr Anil Kakodkar, Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission.He was addressing a news conference in Mumbai, hurriedly called after the Government released the draft of the safeguards agreement negotiated with the International Atomic Energy Agency. If amendments are suggested by US Congress, then the civilian nuclear deal could be re-evaluated; Indian interests will be protected, said Dr Kakodkar. The draft safeguards agreement allows India to proceed step-by-step after ensuring that the nuclear cooperation has indeed opened up, he said.Dr Kakodkar noted the agreement is India-specific and only for civilian nuclear facilities and for facilities which India defines as civilian. The agreement has a special non-hindrance clause; “It clearly recognises the existence of an Indian autonomous nuclear programme,” he said.He said that the facilities that use plutonium and thorium blending for fuel purposes would not be covered under the safeguards agreement and would be outside its purview. However if the facilities use imported fuel then they would come under the agreement, he said.He said that the agreement recognises India being a nuclear weapons state free to pursue its own atomic weapons development the way it likes with strictly no interference from the IAEA. It is not a comprehensive safeguards agreement but as its title suggests, it is about safeguards to civilian nuclear facilities, he said.When asked if he saw the necessity of amending the Indian Atomic Energy Act in response to the provisions of the Hyde Act, Dr Kakodkar said: “We will ensure that Indian interests are protected.” He said that the three-stage nuclear power programme of India would be implemented to the fullest extent and there would be no compromise in that.
