Date:05/11/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/11/05/stories/2005110512740100.htm

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IAF to go ahead with joint exercises

Sandeep Dikshit

Gets assurance from Buddhadeb; Left demonstrations will be peaceful

Nothing amiss in Left plans: Pranab

A full squadron of U.S. Air Force F-16 fighters to take part

NEW DELHI: Armed with an assurance from West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, the Centre on Friday decided to go ahead with the Indo-U.S. exercises at the Kalaikunda airbase from November 7.

"The exercises will go ahead as scheduled. We spoke to the Chief Minister today [Friday]. ... They [workers of Left parties] would demonstrate but it will be peaceful,'' Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee said here.

Mr. Mukherjee said an unscheduled meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on Thursday night considered the implications of the Left Front's plan to hold a rally near the airbase as part of its Statewide protests against holding war games with the U.S.

U.S. concern

The Government took stock of the situation after the Americans expressed concern over the Left Front's opposition to the Indian Air Force holding war games with the U.S. Air Force.

While expressing the Government's resolve to go ahead with the 12-day exercises, Mr. Mukherjee did not see anything amiss with the Left Front's plans. "It is the right of every political party to demonstrate. These exercises are also nothing new." Both sides had been conducting joint war games for some years now.

However, before receiving an assurance from Mr. Bhattacharjee, the Government had considered various options, including shifting the venue and requesting the State Government to ensure security around the airbase.

Chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the CCS meeting was attended by the Ministers for Defence, External Affairs and Finance along with IAF chief S.P. Tyagi, Army chief J.J. Singh, National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan and Cabinet Secretary B. K. Chaturvedi.