Tuesday, November 1 2005 14:59 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New York: In an apparent reference to the Iran nuclear issue, Communist Party of India (CPI) Marxist (M) leader Sitaram Yechury has opposed the use of global bodies like International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) by member states for implementing their own foreign policy agenda.

"We are not in favor of member states using technical bodies for conducting foreign policy by other means, since this is contrary to the Charter of such bodies", Yechury said yesterday (Oct 31, 2005) on behalf of the Indian delegation at the 60th Session of the U N General Assembly here, without mentioning the Iran issue or the stand of the US on it.

Likewise, "We are also not in favor of the UN Security Council arrogating to itself legislative and judicial powers since these are never mandated by the Charter and some times volatile of 'jus cogens'" (constraining fundamental laws which cannot be set aside by any treaty), he said.

"It is important that non-discrimination should remain a vital consideration; the scope of instruments should not be sought to be redefined without formally amending them; goal posts should not be selectively shifted beyond legal obligations", the CPI (M) leader asserted.

Yechury said the essential feature of IAEA in advancing the cause of peaceful use of nuclear energy was that the problems that could arise in this regard 'have to be addressed and resolved within the IAEA'.

Referring to suggestions that countries still not part of the NPT should join it, he said India continued to regard it as 'deeply flawed and discriminatory'.