After the UPA acceded to the Left Fronts demand of not initiating formal talks with the IAEA on India-specific safeguard agreement till October 22, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee is expected not to raise the Indo-US nuclear deal issue with visiting IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei, who reached here from Mumbai this afternoon.
New Delhi, Oct 10 : After the UPA acceded to the Left Front's demand of not initiating formal talks with the IAEA on India-specific safeguard agreement till October 22, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee is expected not to raise the Indo-US nuclear deal issue with visiting IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei, who reached here from Mumbai this afternoon.
After arriving here, ElBaradei said he was happy to move ahead on the safeguards agreement once the Indian government decides on the issue.
He also said that there was no time frame for discussions to begin.
"There is no time limit, as and when the government takes a decision we will be ready," he said.
ElBaradei is scheduled to meet Mukherjee in the evening, and will hold talks on various issues, including the general aspects of safeguards with the IAEA.
He will also hold discussion with Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon on Thursday and will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh later that day.
The special committee of the UPA and the Left will meet on October 22 on the issue, perhaps for the final time.
ANI