India's vote on Iran not linked to the US September 25, 2005 14:37 IST Last Updated: September 27,

2005 11:36 IST Dismissing the charge that its vote for the International Atomic Energy Agency resolution on Iran's nuclear issue was a result of concerns voiced by some United States lawmakers on the Indo-US nuclear pact, India said on Sunday that it determines its policy on international issues, based on independent assessments. "Our positions in international fora are invariably determined by our independent assessments, which are consistent with our policy pronouncements and anchored in our larger national interest," India's Ambassador to the US, Ronen Sen said. Asked whether the Indian vote was prompted by concerns voiced by some members of Congress who linked New Delhi's attitude on Tehran to the Indo-US nuclear deal, he said, "Any such assumption would be totally wrong." Sen said the original resolution, against which India had advised, would have sent the matter to the United Nations Security Council straightaway. "The new one doesn't," he said. Iran, US: India's Catch 22 Analysts said that the European Union resolution on Iran was consistent with Indian advice on not to rush to the Security Council, but to continue negotiations. The resolution, adopted at a meeting of the IAEA board of governors in Vienna late Saturday night, 'requests the IAEA DirectorGeneral Mohamed El Baradei to continue his efforts to implement this and previous resolutions and to report again, including any further developments on the issues raised in his report of September 2'. Shortly after the vote, the External Affairs Ministry issued a statement in New Delhi, saying the world nuclear watchdog had addressed India's major concerns and it did not reflect any change in its stand on Iran. India's stand that some more time should be given for satisfactory resolution of the issue had been taken care of, an External Affairs Ministry spokesman said in New Delhi. The draft resolution had conceded this by deferring any decision till further consideration of the matter at the Board's next meeting in November this year, he said. Bush expresses concern over Iran's nuclear programme India was opposed to the matter being referred to the UN Security Council and the draft resolution had agreed to keep this within the purview of the IAEA at this stage, he said. "Everyone acknowledged that the issue remains very much here in Vienna, that there is ample room here, still, for negotiations, that the issue has not been referred to the Security Council," El Baradei said in Vienna. "All of us need to explore this window of opportunity, from now until November, to make sure that we are moving towards a comprehensive settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue." The IAEA chief said a number of countries have indicated their readiness to work with Iran and with the European Union to try to find a way for them to go back into a negotiating process. "At the end of the day, many of these issues that have to do with regional security and economic relations, could only be resolved through negotiation. I am encouraged that the issue has not been deferred to the Security Council, precisely to give time for diplomacy and negotiation," El Baradei said. Iran: a tough nut for the US to crack The IAEA board, on Saturday, approved a resolution moved by the European Union that sets up Iran for future referral to the UN Security Council. The vote was 22-1, with 12 countries, including Russia and China abstaining. India voted for the resolution, while Venezuela cast the only vote against it.

NEW DEHI (Reuters) - India would keep an open mind over a likely vote to send Iran to the U.N. Security Council over its nuclear programme, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Wednesday. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) governing board meets on Thursday to discuss Iran's nuclear programme which the West sees as a front to build weapons -- a charge Tehran strongly denies. A joint statement by the five permanent members of the Security Council on Tuesday said they favoured sending Iran's case to the council, a move that could lead to sanctions. India's stand at the IAEA meeting is being keenly watched in the light of improving ties with the United States, especially after a landmark deal to resume civil nuclear energy cooperation after a three-decade ban. "This (India's stand) will depend on the kind of resolution on which the voting will take place," Singh said at a nationally televised annual news conference. "We will think it over and keep in mind our national interest and that will be our attitude to any such resolution." Singh said the permanent five statement was a "significant development" and that efforts were on for a consensus. "I still believe this is a matter which should be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue," he said. "Our broad position is Iran is signatory to the NPT (nuclear non-proliferation treaty). Therefore, it is entitled to all the rights that go with the membership of the NPT. "And that simultaneously it must fulfil all the obligations also that go with it." The resolution by the council's permanent members, obtained by Reuters, asks the IAEA's board to "convey" to the council reports by the agency that raise doubts about the nature of Iran's nuclear activities.

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Despite support for Iran from countries like Venezuela and Syria, diplomats said the resolution should pass with a comfortable majority of the 35-member board. PRESSURE FROM LEFT The communist allies of the government, which the ruling coalition depends on for its survival, piled on the pressure on Singh, calling for New Delhi to push for a consensus instead. "We remain opposed to any 'referral' of the issue to the U.N. Security Council," the left parties, who have 61 lawmakers in the lower house of parliament of 545 deputies, said in a statement. "We hope the government will work towards forming a consensus on the issue." An old ally of Iran, New Delhi surprised Tehran last September when it sided with the West after the IAEA declared Iran had not fulfilled its international obligations. The nuclear deal with the United States, agreed during a visit by Singh to Washington last July, seeks to reverse a 30-year ban on nuclear cooperation with India, which has tested nuclear weapons. Talks are on between the two sides on a key requirement of the deal -- a separation plan for India's civil and nuclear facilities.

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