PM still hopeful of Indo-US nuclear deal

NEW DELHI: Not subscribing to the view that the Indo-US nuclear deal is dead, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday said he was still hopeful of the deal.
    
"I am hopeful so long as we are discussing it," the Prime Minister said scotching media speculation that the deal was dead.
    
To a barrage of questions whether the deal was dead, Singh said "I hope good sense will prevail."
    
"I am negotiating in good faith," the Prime Minister told reporters on the sidelines of a military investiture at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here.
    
His remarks came in the midst of government's renewed bid to enlist the support of Left parties, outside supporters of his government, for going ahead with securing the India-specific safeguards agreement with the IAEA.
    
Though the Left-UPA meeting yesterday on the nuclear deal failed to make much headway, the two sides decided to meet again on May 28. The Left parties would meet on May 23 to decide on whether or not to allow the IAEA safeguards agreement.
    
The Left parties sought clarifications on major issues including guaranteed uninterrupted fuel supplies, full civil nuclear cooperation, the issue of reciprocity and implications of the American domestic Hyde Act on India's foreign and security policies.