Wednesday, February 22 2006 17:17 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: On the eve of Indo-US talks on the nuclear deal, the Prime Minister's Scientific Adviser C N R Rao today (Feb 22 2006) asserted that the country's fast breeder reactors (FBRs) could not be put in the civilian side and said New Delhi could opt out of the deal if it went against the national interest.

Hours before the arrival of US Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns for talks with Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran on the nuclear issue, Rao said India could not be forced to accept the July 18 deal, but added that the stage for saying 'yes' or 'no' had not come yet.

"Who said we are going to put the FBRs in the civilian side? We cannot and will not do so," he told sources emphasizing that such installations are "our own creations" and could not be opened up to international scrutiny.

Rao, Chairman of Science Advisory Committee to the Prime Minister, added "We will accept only whatever is good for India. The deal cannot be forced on us. The country's interest will be protected."

He said there is a clause in the deal which says that India can say no in the end if negotiations fail.

"India can say sorry, but politely" if the talks fail, said Rao, speaking on the sidelines of 'Indo-US Nanotechnology Conclave' here when asked about reports that Washington was insisting that New Delhi put FBRs in the civilian side.

No Compromise on the country's National interest

"There will be no compromise on the country's national interest," said Rao, who is also the Honorary President of Bangalore-based Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research.

Favouring easing of restrictions in high-technology trade, he, however, pointed out that the scientific community of the country had conducted a lot of research in the face of denial regimes.

"Stage has come that we can teach some things to others also," Rao said.

Maintaining that India could not be pushed into doing anything that would not be in the national interest, he said "There is a divorce clause which has been incorporated even as the marriage is being negotiated."

Noting that the deal makes it clear that both sides have to agree for implementation of the deal, Rao said "India is no more a poor country which can be pushed into doing something. Our country is strong, our atomic energy programme is strong and our Prime Minister is strong."

He said "so far the stage has not come for saying yes or no. I am confident that things will be solved amicably."

He also denied any differences between the Prime Minister and the scientific community, insisting that both had same views with regard to the issue.