No major pact to be signed in US: PM to Left

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has assured the Left leaders that no major economic or defence agreement would be inked during his visit to th...

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has assured the Left leaders that no major economic or defence agreement would be inked during his visit to the US and India’s foreign policy would not be compromised.

There would be a joint statement, but that would voice larger Indo-American concerns, he said at the two meetings he held with the Left last night.

The assurance is crucial with the Left having expressed its reservations over the Indo-US Framework Agreement signed during Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s visit to Washington.

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Sources said at a meeting with CPI general secretary A.B. Bardhan and D. Raja, Singh said the concerns of the Left parties would be kept in mind and nothing would be done to undermine national sovereignty.

Like the CPI(M) and Forward Bloc leaders who met the PM last night, the CPI leadership also sought strict adherence to the Common Minimum Programme and an independent, non-aligned foreign policy.

The Left leaders said there should be no change in the policy of disallowing FDI in the retail sector.

The PM told Left that apart from terrorism, he would have to discuss with Washington the contentious issue of nuclear fuel, which he said was a key area.

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The Prime Minister also expressed his interest in advancements being made by the US in bio-technology. He told the Left that the latest technology the US was trying out in agriculture could benefit India.

The meeting was attended by Home Minister Shivraj Patil, National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan and Principal Secretary to PM T.K.A. Nair.