India-Cabinet-Lok Sabha
In the wake of Left parties withdrawal of support to the government on the Indo-US nuclear deal, the Union Cabinet is meeting in New Delhi on Friday to decide the date for convening the Lok Sabha (Lower House of Indian Parliament) to seek a vote of confidence.

Later Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will convey to the President Pratibha Devisingh Patil the precise date on which the Lok Sabha will be summoned.

The Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called on the President Pratibha Devisingh Patil at the Rashtrapati Bhawan (Presidential Palace) on Thursday evening and conveyed the Government's desire to seek the trust vote at the earliest.

The meeting lasted for 30 minutes.

A communique issued by the Rashtrapati Bhawan said that the precise date on which the Lok Sabha will be summoned for the purpose will be communicated to the President by Friday evening.

Meanwhile, the UPA leaders will meet this morning to discuss the future political strategy, while a meeting of the Congress working Committee is scheduled in the evening.

The draft of the Safeguards Agreement has been circulated among its 35 Board members of IAEA.

The G-8 nations meeting at Sapporo in Japan and the US president have pledged full support to the Nuclear Cooperation agreement.

Left parties have described the circulation of the draft in the IAEA as shocking.

Briefing the media after a meeting of the four Left parties in New Delhi, CPI(M) General Secretary, Prakash Karat, asked the Prime Minister to share with the nation the details of his meeting with US President Bush on Nuke Deal.

He said the Left parties will do everything to stall the operationalization of the nuclear deal.

Meanwhile, the draft Safeguards Agreement makes it clear that the UN watchdog will not interfere with India's military program.

The text of the draft made public acknowledges the plan made under the Indo-US civil nuclear deal by which India will offer its civilian atomic facilities to be put under safeguards, keeping out the military facilities.

Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, Anil Kakodkar, says India-specific Safeguards Agreement will not affect domestic nuclear technology development programme.

He said, "The safeguards condition applies only to civilian nuclear facilities."
2160**1420

---> India-Cabinet-Lok Sabha