The Hindu : Iraqi opinion being ascertained: Advani

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jun 22, 2003

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Iraqi opinion being ascertained: Advani

By Anjali Mody

NEW DELHI June 21. Whether Iraqis want Indian troops in their country or not is one of the issues that will inform the decision about sending troops to Iraq, the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, said today. Another question that would have to be settled before a decision was taken was when an Iraqi administration would be in place, he said.

Mr. Advani was responding to questions from journalists, en route to Ahmedabad by a special plane to attend two functions today.

To a question on whether a decision to send the troops was imminent, he said that there were "lots of factors" to consider. The two which concerned the Government most were "what do the people of Iraq feel about this and what are the plans for restoring an Iraqi administration?" Asked how the Government would ascertain Iraqi opinion in the absence of a representative administration, Mr. Advani said that a team of four Indian military officials was in Iraq and a "direct report from there" was awaited.

Asked whether the Government was inclined to send troops to Iraq, Mr. Advani said that it was in India's interest to "have a presence in that region". "It will be good for us and good for Iraq," he added. Asked whether the Government had not considered reconvening Parliament to consider the issue, he said "our disapproval of American action is there".

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