Bangalore
Indian Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal Tuesday attacked
the Left parties for their opposition to the Indo-US nuclear deal
but said the government was confident of convincing them on the
benefits of the pact.
"They (the Left) are reasonable men," Sibal told reporters here
after releasing a three-page statement detailing the benefits of the
deal. But he accused the Left parties of opposing the deal for
opposition sake.
Sibal disagreed with the Left contention that the Hyde Act overrides
the 123 agreement.
"Article VI (2) of the American Constitution gives to international
treaties the status of law. In fact it is the supreme law. That is
why Article VI (2) is referred to as the Supremacy Clause of the
American Constitution," he said.
Sibal said: "Under international law, an international obligation
overrides national laws."
"No government worth its salt can afford to renege on an
international treaty," he said, adding the United Progressive
Alliance government was committed to the agreement as well as to
addressing the concerns of the Left parties.
The minister said political consensus had never been sought before
signing an international treaty.
However, the nuclear deal had been discussed in Parliament at every
stage and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had given assurances that it
does not impinge on India's sovereignty, Sibal said.
Hence "the Left's opposition on the 123 Agreement is for
opposition's sake.
"If they have a hidden agenda, the people of this country must know.
If they are anti-America and they don't want the deal with them on
that account, that also should be made clear to the people of this
country," he said.
"We want to work with the Left and provide a stable government till
its full term. We await their (Left's) response," Sibal said.
He said the Indo-US deal will not affect the Iran gas pipeline
project
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