WASHINGTON, 27 March 2008 — India said on Tuesday it could not commit to any US deadline for finalization of a landmark nuclear deal caught in a deadlock among its ruling coalition partners.
The government yesterday termed as “unfortunate” the opposition of the left parties to the deal, saying it was driven by “other considerations” than those relating to the proliferation of nuclear weapons.
Foreign Minister Pranap Mukherjee said New Delhi needed “more time” to forge an agreement on the deal despite a tight 2008 US legislative calendar ahead of the November presidential polls.
“At this juncture, it is difficult for me to indicate any time frame by which we will be able to complete this process,” Mukherjee told a news conference in Washington after talks with President George W. Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
“We are trying to resolve the issues but it may take some more time.” The Bush administration and the US Congress has warned India about the limited time available for the civil nuclear deal to be approved by the legislature before Bush leaves the White House in January 2009.
“Well, we have a little bit of time before we have to say ‘now or never,’ White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said to a question on Tuesday. “We’ve got several months to continue to work with them.” Could the deal clear Congress by mid-year? “I think as that you get further and further into the Congressional calendar, I think it’s fair to say it’s more and more difficult just because of the political realities of the press of business,” said State Department spokesman Sean McCormack.
Asked about the time constraints, Mukherjee emphasized that unless the outstanding issues among India’s coalition partners were resolved, “it would be difficult for us to (meet) any particular time frame.” The communist parties, who prop up the minority government in Parliament, have threatened to withdraw their support of the government and force early elections if Indian leaders move to implement the deal.
On the prospect for the Indian coalition to forgo the government for the sake of the deal, Mukherjee said, “it’s not a question of sacrificing either the deal or the government. Currently, we are engaged in resolving the issues and try to find a meeting ground between us and a section of our supporters.” The minister also said that Prime Minister Singh’s administration would have to continue finding common ground on the nuclear deal.
“We shall have to take into account that even if we sign an important international agreement, if it is subsequently not honored by the next government, it may lead to an embarrassing situation,” he said.
Commenting on peace talks with Pakistan, Mukherjee said the new government should pick up ‘the thread from where President Pervez Musharraf left’ and continue the peace process with India.
