Mumbai: Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Anil Kakodkar was today non-committal on when the "agreed text" on India-specific safeguards for civilian nuclear power plants with the IAEA will be finalised.

"It is a detailed technical exercise and no template exists for it.... I would not like to predict on it (when the agreed text could be readied)," Kakodkar told reporters, a day ahead of scheduled talks between India and the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna.

The third round of talks in Vienna last week failed to ready the agreed text and the next round is scheduled to begin tomorrow. Originally, the third round was considered to be the final round but there was no agreement on the issue of India's right to hold its strategic reserve to cater lifetime supply to its civilian nuclear plants.

There was also no meeting point on the issue of corrective measures to be undertaken in the event of stoppage of fuel to power plants.

The fourth round is widely believed to be the concluding round but because of the complexities of negotiations on these crucial issues there is a possibility that the negotiations may spill over to another round of talks.

When asked if the negotiations was taking longer than expected, Kakodkar said, "I wouldn't say so." He also declined to say if the talks beginning tomorrow could be the final round of talks with the IAEA.

Source : PTI