There are no permanent friends or permanent enemies so far as any nation in concerned. They have only "permanent interests" This is the basic principle of diplomacy.
It is for the countries entering into agreements to ensure that they are not jeoparadising their country's interests and are not signing blindly the dotted line.
We have already learnt a lesson from the Agreement entered into between Maharashtra State Electricity Board and Enron. Luckily Enron went into liquidation and could not benefit from the gold-plated agreement much. Otherwise the State of Maharashtra might have gone bankrupt.
The 123 Agreement should be discussed throughly in the Parliament and be made available to the citizens of our Country to offer their suggestion. Let us have an informed debate on the issue and understand the implications of the same. What all are being hidden in the name of "Hyde Act"?
RE:Diplomacy at its best!
by ravi prakash on Apr 24, 2008 03:14 PM Permalink
As far as we know, the Hyde Act cannot be by- passed by any foregn agreement. The violation of the Hyde Act will make the entire contract void as far as the US is concerned. It seems that as far as the US-India deal is concerned, the entire Hyde Act must be in the contract in a wordily different form without the name of Hyde Act appearing in it. The Indian side is carrying an impression that it does not apply to the deal. This is clever verbiage and hair splitting by our US counterparts. A second question is in case of violation; who is to determine and what would be the penalty. The US has ensured that violation of the deal would be on India's part with the US designated agencies playing the part of policemen the punishment for any violation being suspension of supplies of fissile materials by NSG completely to the detriment of India. A classic case of "Heads I win- Tails you lose" with" there is no alternative" (TINA) position for the US
RE:Diplomacy at its best!
by on May 11, 2008 09:34 AM Permalink
Indian politicians are hiding important facts from the people of India. It will be stupid for India to sign this agreement. It will make them slaves again. It will be the same thing that British did to India when they came to India as merchants and then took over the country. In the long run this agreement will be sui cidal act for India. If India has any sense of National respect, National pride, concern for it's own National interest, India should reject this agreement. It is better to suffer than to become slave.
RE:Diplomacy at its best!
by ravi prakash on Apr 24, 2008 03:24 PM Permalink
Sir, The Enron Case is a classic case where the MSEB was made to agree to terms of power purchase when it was in no position to honor the deal. In any case Enron encashed the soverign guarantees, honored by the consortium of banks with IDBI and ICICI in the lead. They paid through the nose for MSEBs refusal to buy the power. ICICI chose to sell insurance to recover its hit while IDBI stayed hit and is limping to normalcy only now Enron did not go bankrupt; it was forcibly closed for fraud on the US-Govt and the Shareholders for account books cooking.
RE:Diplomacy at its best!
by Avinash on Apr 24, 2008 03:39 PM Permalink
Dear ravi prakash, first of all what was the need for MSEB to sign such a one sided agreement? Are we to assume that Eron was bringing any new technology that was not available in India? Our PSUs like NTPC and BHEL had enough resources to make a dozen Dabhols each! Even Tatas and Ambanis could have generated enough power. It was only the greed of our Politicians and secrecy while signing the Agreement that worsened the situation.
The fate of N-deal also would be the same if we proceed without taking enough precaution.
We have enough resources to meet our power requirements thru conventional sources like Thermal power, etc for another 50 years. So there is no need to rush thruough the N-deal to repent at leasure.
