http://www.kaumudi.com/news/092603/india.stm#1
No Indian troops for Iraq, Vajpayee tells Bush
NEW YORK: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has conveyed to US
President George W Bush India's inability to send troops to Iraq in
the absence of a specific UN mandate as well as in view of the
country's own security needs and firmly ruled out a dialogue with
Pakistan until it put an end to cross-border terrorism.
At their hour-long luncheon meeting yesterday, Mr Vajpayee is
understood to have told the US President that India's own security
needs had increased in recent months due to an upsurge in terrorist
violence in different parts of the country.
''The national security needs in India have undergone a change during
the past few weeks due to increased terrorist activities and our
troops would be needed to maintain law and order.'' Briefing reporters
on the crucial meeting, External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha said
it was also pointed out to the US side that the Cabinet Committee on
Security had on July 14 decided against sending troops to the
war-ravaged country, despite an American request, without an explicit
UN mandate.
''The US President appreciated Mr Vajpayee's statement,'' Mr Sinha
said, adding Washington was fully aware of India's compulsion.
''There was no pressure whatsoever from Mr Bush on the issue of India
sending troops to Iraq,", he added.
Replying to another query, Mr Sinha noted that the US had been
speaking about its draft resolution in the UN, which calls upon all
member-countries to help stabilise the situation in Iraq.
''So far, there is no such resolution. If the resolution is passed, we
will think about sending troops under an explicit UN mandate,'' he
said.
Prime Minister Vajpayee told the US President that cross-border
terrorism was still continuing and Pakistan had not taken sincere and
visible steps to curb it. The resumption of talks with Pakistan was
not be possible until it stopped cross-border terrorism and
infiltration and dismantled the terrorist infrastructure, he told the
US leader.
The two leaders first had a one-to-one meeting and thereafter they
were joined by their respective delegations. The Indian delegation
included the Foreign Minister, National Security Adviser Brajesh
Mishra, Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal and Indian Ambassador to the US
Lalit Mansingh.
Mr Bush's aides included Secretary of State Colin Powell, National
Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice and former US Ambassador to India
Robert Blackwill.
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