The Hindu : Why different yardsticks for Iraq & Pak., India asks U.S.

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Mar 28, 2003

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Why different yardsticks for Iraq & Pak., India asks U.S.

By Amit Baruah

NEW DELHI March 27. India seems to be drawing a link between American support for its position on Pakistan and Kashmir with its statements on the ongoing military invasion of Iraq.

New Delhi's reference to double standards in the war against terrorism following Washington's "advice" to talk to Islamabad in the wake of the massacre of the Kashmiri Pandits is a clear sign of displeasure.

"If dialogue, per se, is more critical than combating international terrorism with all necessary means, then one can legitimately ask why both in Afghanistan and Iraq, military action, instead of dialogue, has been resorted to," the Foreign Office spokesman said on Tuesday.

India's irritation at the international community (read the United States) has even extended to drawing a link with Iraq — a position that hasn't previously been taken.

Willy-nilly, New Delhi seems to be drawing connections between what the U.S. says on India-Pakistan-Kashmir issues and India's formulation on the Iraqi issue.

The message coming from official circles is that India's concerns in the immediate neighbourhood are far more important than simply sticking to principles as far as the war on Iraq is concerned.

Sources stressed that India's "middle path" approach towards the U.S. on the Iraq war could well evolve further given the fact that what was promised as a "designer war" has not been without surprises for the "coalition forces".

Speaking at the open debate at the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday, Vijay Nambiar, India's Permanent Representative in New York, said that India strongly urged that "all possible efforts" be made to bring hostilities to an "early end".

"We also call upon all parties involved in the war to meet their obligations towards civilians under international humanitarian law. We are also concerned about human lives — Iraqis and others," he said in a statement.

Interestingly, Mr. Nambiar said: "The right of the people of Iraq to determine their political future and exercise control over their natural resources should also be fully respected." The inference here is clear — outsiders should not exploit Iraq's oil resources.

"The (U.N.) Secretary-General has already drawn attention to the increasingly difficult plight of the 1.7 million residents of the city of Basra. We wish to support any efforts designed to provide relief to the civilian population..."

The reference to Iraqi oil resources come as "private engineers" have already arrived in southern Iraq and British military authorities are promising that Iraq will start pumping oil in the next three months.

India's "middle path" approach, it would appear, might veer this way or that depending on what Washington says on South Asian issues or if the humanitarian situation worsens in Iraq.

Otherwise, New Delhi seems to be sticking to the pragmatic approach that alienating the U.S. on Iraq is not in its national interest.

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