CWC applauds PM for satisfactory conclusion of N-deal

NEW DELHI: Despite America's assertion that it reserves the right to seek return of atomic technology and fuel if India conducts a nuclear test, the Congress Working Committee on Saturday applauded Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for satisfactory conclusion of the nuclear deal.

The meeting of the apex policy making body presided over by party president Sonia Gandhi said the conclusion of the deal was "consistent with the letter and spirit of the commitments made to Parliament and to the nation."

In the two-hour long meeting the Prime Minister briefed the Working Committee on the negotiations and the subsequent conclusion of the 123 agreement which will operationalise the civil nuclear deal.

Party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi merely read out a two-paragraph statement and did not go into the details of the Prime Minister's briefing and the issues raised by the members.

The backing of the party comes ahead of the crucial Monsoon session of Parliament beginning August 10 when the deal would come up for a debate in the two Houses.

The Prime Minister has assured the BJP that India's strategic programme would not be impacted by the nuclear deal with the US but the opposition party maintained that its apprehensions had not been allayed completely.

The meeting of the CWC is the first after the finalisation of the civil nuclear agreement between the two countries and after the Prime Minister briefing the main opposition BJP as also the Left leaders.