The Hindu : We'll not back regime change in Iraq by outside forces: PM

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Mar 13, 2003

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We'll not back regime change in Iraq by outside forces: PM

By Our New Delhi Bureau

NEW DELHI MARCH 12. The Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, today ruled out support for a regime change brought about by outsiders in Iraq. "If a change has to come about, it should be done by the people of that country. No outside power has the right to do that," he told the Lok Sabha.

Responding to clarifications sought by members on his statement in the House, the Prime Minister also expressed himself against any unilateral action against Iraq. "I believe it will not happen because if it does, it will undermine the U.N. and also create a grave crisis," he said.

Mr. Vajpayee, however, appeared to hedge his bets on the issue of whether India would allow its facilities to be used in the event of a war. "I believe there will not be a war. Hence, I cannot answer what stand we will take if there is a war," he said. He hoped that a peaceful solution to the crisis would be found and favoured giving Iraq more time and even increasing the number of inspectors if the need arose.

In the Lok Sabha, Mr. Vajpayee was repeatedly goaded by the Opposition to take a categorical stand on the war. Shivraj Patil (Cong.) asked him to take an unambiguous stand on issues such as regime change in Iraq and the issue of giving more time to Baghdad. Somnath Chatterjee, CPI(M), demanded that the House pass a unanimous resolution condemning the U.S. threat of a war against Iraq. He also wanted the Prime Minister to make it clear that India would not lend its facilities or allow refuelling of U.S. military aircraft in the event of a war.

In his statement to both Houses, the Prime Minister seemed to express a degree of unhappiness with Iraq's non-cooperation in the disarmament process. "We believe that Iraq must cooperate actively with the inspection process and comply fully with the inspection process and comply with all relevant Security Council resolutions. "If the pace of this cooperation had been quicker, it may have enabled UNMOVIC and IAEA to certify to the U.N. Security Council that Iraq was in full compliance of Resolution 1441," he said.

Sticking to India's oft-repeated stand that the Security Council should decide on "what further action" was required, he said: "The international community must take a very careful look both at the objective of achieving Iraq's full compliance with U.N. resolutions and at the means to be adopted to reach this goal."

"If permitting more time and formulation of clearer criteria can facilitate a decision within the U.N. framework, we believe this option should be given a chance. We hope that the members of the Security Council will harmonise their positions to ensure that its final decision enhances the legitimacy and credibility of the United Nations.

"If unilateralism prevails, the U.N. would be deeply scarred, with disastrous consequences for world order. The Government of India would strongly urge that no military action be taken which does not have the collective concurrence of the international community," Mr. Vajpayee maintained.

He said India recognised the "validity of the unanimous decision" of the Security Council in its Resolution 1441, which provided for the disarmament of Iraq and reaffirmed the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq, Kuwait and the neighbouring states. India had also voiced its concern on various occasions about the difficult humanitarian situation in Iraq. It had consistently stated that if Baghdad complied fully with the relevant Security Council resolutions then sanctions against that country should be lifted.

Mr. Vajpayee informed the Rajya Sabha about his telephone conversation with the U.S. President, George W. Bush. However, to a pointed query from the Congress MP, K. Natwar Singh, he preferred not to disclose what Mr. Bush shared with him. Senior Congress leader, Arjun Singh, wanted to know details of reports of the U.S. trying to cajole India into joining the war efforts and offering it a role in the post-war regime. He asked how aggressors could invite India to a "feast of vultures". Ram Deo Bhandary of the Rashtriya Janata Dal wondered why the Government did not name the U.S. even once in the statement.

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