The Hindu : Disappointed: India

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 19, 2003

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Disappointed: India

By Amit Baruah

NEW DELHI MARCH 18. India is "deeply disappointed" at the United Nations Security Council's inability to "act collectively", specially the failure of the permanent members to "harmonise their positions" on Iraq.

"As long as the peaceful disarmament of Iraq has the slightest chance, we would continue to urge caution, self-restraint and high sense of responsibility on the part of concerned parties," the brief statement issued by the foreign office spokesman said. There was no reference to the United States by name in the statement — a sign that the Government was treading very carefully as far as taking a view on the impending military action by the U.S. against Iraq was concerned. Nor was there any reference to the "ultimatum" issued to the Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein.

Stating that the Cabinet was briefed on the current situation, the statement said: "As the latest crisis had unfolded, India has taken the consistent position that Iraq must fully comply with U.N. Security Council resolutions for the elimination of weapons of mass destruction."

"Our counsel has been against war and in favour of peace. We have emphasised that all decisions on Iraq must be taken under the authority of the U.N. We have stated that any move for change in regime in Iraq should come from within and not be imposed from outside. We have also been drawing attention to the precarious humanitarian situation of the Iraqi people which war would only aggravate," it said.

According to sources, the U.S. Secretary of State, Colin Powell, telephoned the External Affairs Minister, Yashwant Sinha, and explained the circumstances in which the ultimatum had been issued. On his part, Mr. Sinha put across the Indian position.

Separately, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj, said the Cabinet had been briefed on the Iraq situation by Mr. Sinha. There was no discussion on Iraq and no view was taken by the Cabinet, she said adding that the External Affairs Ministry was asked to articulate its response.

In a related development, the All-India Congress Committee spokesman said: "The decision to go to war tramples on the United Nation's charter, denigrates the Security Council, flouts international law, does grave injury to the concept of national sovereignty and sets dangerous and unacceptable precedents." "The Congress party cannot but deplore this decision to go to war against a sovereign independent member of the United Nations."

Time for diplomacy never ends: Pak.

Pakistan today expressed disappointment over the failed diplomacy to avoid a war on Iraq, stating that Islamabad too had tried its best to press for a peaceful resolution of the problem.

The Foreign Minister, Khurshid Mehmud Kasuri, in a statement said the President, Pervez Musharraf, and the Prime Minister, Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, had been interacting with world leaders and that "Pakistan believes that time and space for diplomacy never ends".

Meanwhile, Mr. Jamali claimed that his country advocated peace. He told reporters after a party meeting of the Pakistan Muslim League (Q) and allied parties that Pakistan should show unity in the present situation. — UNI

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