The Hindu : Action `inconceivable', says Fernandes

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 16, 2003

National

National

Action `inconceivable', says Fernandes

Bangalore Feb. 15. The Defence Minister, George Fernandes, said it would be ``inconceivable'' that U.S. should take any action on Iraq after the U.N. inspectors have found no weapons of mass destruction there and reaffirmed India's position that the issue must be resolved amicably.

Mr. Fernandes said India could not support the U.S. stand on the Iraq and it could not be part of ``anything where the U. N. is not involved''.

``It would be inconceivable that the U.S. should take any action after what has been submitted to the U.N. Security Council by the inspector and also by the stand that has been taken by the members of the Security Council such as France, Germany, Russia, China and other countries that have been associated with this opposition (to war)'', Mr. Fernandes said here today.

It was not ``opposition for opposition's sake'' because it has now been finally confirmed. ``It is an obvious situation where Iraq has been found to be without any weapons of mass destruction''.

Asked if the U. S. had sought India's support on the Iraq issue, he said, ``India cannot support. How can India support''.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National