Wednesday, November 16 2005 16:43 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kolkata: The Communist party of India -Marxist (CPI-M), which provides crucial outside support to the Union Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, today(Nov 16,2005) said that it expected India to act within the framework of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and not go by United States of America stand when the Iran nuclear issue comes up again at the next IAEA meeting on November 24.

"We are hoping that India will not repeat its stand it had taken earlier. We are hoping they won't. Let's see what is going to happen on that day. After November 24 we will sit and decide,'' CPI-M politburo member Sitaram Yechuri told reporters who repeatedly asked if the Left parties would consider withdrawing support to the government in the event of India voting along with the USA and European Union.

Yechuri said, "Our main point in this substantive issue is whether Iran was violating the conditions and conditionalities of the NPT. Now the agency which is equipped to judge this and take action is the International Atomic Energy Agency".

"So we are saying that the Iran issue should be within the ambit of IAEA alone. It should not be taken to the United Nations Security Council which, it appears, USA wants," Yechuri said.

He said, "Our substantive point is (India) should stay within the framework of IAEA and if that is done whatever method that is used (by New Delhi) in the matter will be good".