Left-UPA panel discusses N-deal, to meet again on Oct 22

NEW DELHI: The Manmohan Singh government has got a 13-day breather with the Left-UPA committee on the India-US civil nuclear deal deciding to meet next on Oct 22 after an inconclusive discussion on Tuesday.

The fourth meeting between the Left parties and the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) on the contentious nuclear deal went on for two-and-a-half hours at the South Block.

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who heads the 15-member committee, said after the meeting that the members "shared in detail their perceptions on various aspects of the cooperation agreement between India and the US.

"Discussions were also initiated on the implications of the nuclear agreement, on foreign policy and security cooperation."

Indicating that the Left decision on continuing support to the Manmohan Singh government would be taken after Oct 22, Communist Party of India (CPI) leader D. Raja said the discussion between the UPA and the Left over the deal would continue.

After the meeting, Prakash Karat and Sitaram Yechury of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and Mukherjee went to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) where they were believed to be discussing details of the meeting with the prime minister.