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Rediff.com  » News » Left, Vajpayee criticise Mulford's comments

Left, Vajpayee criticise Mulford's comments

Source: PTI
January 26, 2006 21:54 IST
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Left parties, key allies of the United Progressive Alliance government, and former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee Thursday attacked US Ambassador to India David C Mulford for his remarks on the future of Indo-US nuclear deal, terming them as "outrageous", a "threat" and an "interference in the country's internal affairs".

They also asked the government to make public all the details of the deal and the separation of civilian and nuclear facilities, which have been submitted to the United States.

"It is an attempt to dictate what India should do Mulford forgets that he is not the American pro-consul in a banana republic," the Communist Party of India said in a statement in New Delhi.

In a separate statement, Communist Party of India-Marxist said the Manmohan Singh government should issue a "categorical statement that India will not countenance a reference to the United Nations Security Council on the Iran nuclear issue".

It also asked the UPA government to "make public all the details of the proposals for nuclear cooperation and separation of civilian and nuclear facilities, which have been submitted to the United States".

Terming Mulford's remarks as a "threat" and a "serious affront" to India and its sovereignty, the CPI-M said they confirmed the US had pressurised India to vote against Iran at the International Atomic Energy Agency meeting in September 2005.

Vajpayee termed the Ambassador's remarks as "outrageous" and which "violated" all diplomatic norms.

He also accused the UPA government of issuing an inadequate reaction to Mulford's comments.

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