The Hindu : India wants U.S. to enter into dialogue with Iran

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 29, 2003

International

International

India wants U.S. to enter into dialogue with Iran

By Amit Baruah

BERLIN May 28. India and Germany have agreed that whatever be the issues between the United States and Iran these should be resolved through dialogue, the External Affairs Minister, Yashwant Sinha, said at a press conference this evening. Giving an account of meetings between the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, and the German Chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder, and separate meetings between himself and the German Foreign Minister, Joshka Fischer, and the Prime Minister, Mr. Sinha said both countries hoped that nothing more than dialogue would be needed as far as Iran was concerned. The External Affairs Minister's remarks come as the United States repeatedly referred to Al-Qaeda elements allegedly taking refuge in Iran and Teheran's ``support'' to terrorism and the need for Iran to adhere to U.N. Security Council Resolution 1373 that enjoins all States to take action against terrorism and terrorists.

In response to questions, the Minister said that India was seeking clarifications from the U.N. on the scope of its new Security Council Resolution on Iraq. ``And, until those clarifications are available, we'll hold back our action except in the area of reconstruction.'' Mr. Sinha made it clear that Germany, which is currently a non-permanent member of the Security Council, had no plans to join the so-called ``stabilisation'' force in Iraq.

At the same briefing, the Foreign Secretary, Kanwal Sibal, referred to U.N. involvement in Iraq and the fact that ethnic and religious factors might come in the way of creating a new democracy in Iraq. According to Mr. Sibal, there was a complete meeting of minds on the issue of terrorism. ``We are now speaking the same language on terrorism,'' he said, adding that both Germany and India considered terrorism a threat to their security.

On Iraq, the External Affairs Minister maintained that Germany and India agreed that the new Security Council resolution was a step forward. The U.N., he said, should play an ``essential role'' in Iraq and the role of the U.N. Secretary-General's representative was very important. Germany, he stated, was in favour of an international consultative process on Iraq — similar to the one launched on Afghanistan. Discussion on Afghanistan focused on the return of Taliban and Al-Qaeda elements. India took the view that it was useful for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to expand its operations beyond Kabul given the current state of law and order in Afghanistan. Turning to the bilateral front, the External Affairs Minister said the German Chancellor had accepted Mr. Vajpayee's invitation to visit India next year — as part of the agreement to have regular annual summits.

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