The Hindu : Troops to Iraq: NDA leaves it to PM

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

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Troops to Iraq: NDA leaves it to PM

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI JUNE 21. The National Democratic Alliance tonight left it to the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, to take an appropriate decision in response to the U.S. request for sending troops to Iraq.

At a meeting chaired by the Prime Minister here, the NDA said the decision should be taken keeping in view the "interest of India and the people of Iraq.''

The Government, on its part, announced that the process of consultation with political parties would continue after Mr. Vajpayee returns from his trip to China.

The Shiv Sena conveyed its opposition though it went along with the final formulation that the Prime Minister was best positioned to firm up India's stand.

The Defence Minister and NDA convener, George Fernandes, told correspondents later that all those who attended the meeting had placed their views but said since the issue under consideration was "ticklish, who better than the Prime Minister would know.''

Mr. Fernandes, who was flanked by the External Affairs Minister, Yashwant Sinha, at the briefing, said the team from Pentagon which had arrived here last Monday had not responded to all the questions New Delhi had.

"There were a number of questions (to the U.S. team); some they were able to reply and some they have taken back. We are also making our own assessment,'' Mr. Sinha said.

Mr. Fernandes said the request from the U.S. administration for troops came amid indications that they would be positioned in the northern part of that country. He said this area had borders with Iran on one side and Turkey on the other, with Kurds in between.

The NDA meeting was preceded by one of the Cabinet Committee on Security. It is understood that the CCS took stock of the current situation in Iraq. The NDA meeting follows the one the Prime Minister had with the Congress team on Sunday last.

The PMK MP, E. Ponnuswamy, told The Hindu that the party has suggested that the Government consider the U.S. request also in the light of previous experience.

He said that during the war in Afghanistan, Washington preferred to side with Pakistan for strategic considerations and was now turning to India. While leaving it to the Prime Minister, he suggested that the decision be taken keeping in view the country's self-respect.

The Shiv Sena MP, Chandrakant Khaire, said that later the party was opposed to sending of troops considering the U.S. attitude towards New Delhi vis-a-vis Pakistan's role in encouraging terrorists' acts and earlier experience, including peacekeeping in Sri Lanka.

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