'Reports on Pak. conditions false'

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 17. Pakistan had not conveyed to Washington that it wanted India and Israel out of an international coalition against terrorism. This was conveyed to the Union Home Minister, Mr. L.K. Advani, by the U.S. Ambassador to India, Mr. Robert Blackwill, while responding to India's concerns.

During the meeting, Mr. Advani expressed the Government's concern over the attacks on Sikhs. Mr. Blackwill said the attacks were a ``matter of concern'' and that such violent outbreaks would not be allowed to create ``any misgivings''.

Mr. Blackwill also met the External Affairs Minister, Mr. Jaswant Singh, who is expected to travel to Washington later this month for meetings with the Secretary of State, Gen. Colin Powell, and the Defence Secretary, Mr. Donald Rumsfeld.

He also called on the Leader of the Opposition, Ms. Sonia Gandhi, in what appears to be an effort at unifying Indian support for the anti-terrorist campaign. Ms. Gandhi is learnt to have discussed the attacks on Sikhs and urged the U.S. envoy to ensure that the administration reacted swiftly to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.

Earlier, the External Affairs Ministry spokesperson took exception to reports suggesting Pakistan's attempt to keep New Delhi and Tel Aviv out of a U.S.-led coalition, saying that a response on these lines would not be commensurate with the colossal loss of life and property witnessed in the U.S.

Indicating India's reservations over U.S. unilateralism, the spokesperson reiterated the need for collective action by a ``coalition of democracies''. The fight against terrorism, she added, need not necessarily be preceded by the use of military force. The response to this menace needed to be multi-faceted and the use of diplomacy and economic measures could be combined.

India first aired these views on Sunday after Mr. Jaswant Singh spoke to his Russian counterpart, Mr. Igor Ivanov. Significantly, the former Prime Ministers, Mr. V.P. Singh and Mr. H.D. Deve Gowda, along with leaders of the Left parties, had on Sunday expressed the view that India's participation in any international action against terrorism, involving the use of force, must be sanctioned by the United Nations.

Concerned about the welfare of non-resident Indians, the Government today expressed solidarity with them. The Chairman of the high-level Committee on Indian Diaspora, Mr. L.M. Singhvi, in a condolence message said that some of the brightest NRI professionals had lost their lives in the tragedy, which struck New York and Washington. Expressing concern over the attacks on Sikhs, the MEA spokesperson said India's Consul-General in San Francisco was in touch with the community in Arizona.

PTI reports:

Mr. Jaswant Singh tonight dismissed as ``sheer absurdity'' the conditions reportedly made by Pakistan. ``There cannot be any bargain on terrorism. Any such bargaining will tantamount to accepting terrorism and granting it legitimacy,'' he told Star TV.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Front Page
Previous : We want Osama dead or alive: Bush
Next     : NATO split on joining U.S. action