New
Delhi, October 23 (IslamOnline) - Warning that "war against Iraq
will destabilize the entire West Asia and its neighborhood," two
Indian former prime ministers on Wednesday, October 23, asked the
Indian government to raise its voice at this "critical
moment" as India required peace to sustain efforts at ending
terrorism within and without the country.
"The
misperceived threat of war against Iraq has grave implication for this
region. We go with the rest of the world that leadership in Iraq
should facilitate the U.N. inspection to convey a credible message to
the world that it is rid of all weapons of mass destruction,"
former prime ministers VP Singh and IK Gujral said in a joint
statement, reported Indian official news agency PTI.
The
duo enjoy the highest respect and credibility in the Indian political
life.
The
two former prime ministers said the U.N. and the rest of the world
should ensure Iraqis chose their government themselves and no outside
power had the right to order a regime change in Baghdad or elsewhere.
"Such
demands, for whatever reasons, smack of arrogance that would set
unacceptable precedents. The U.N. Security Council must act in unison
to safeguard world peace and ensure the determination to eliminate
terrorism is not diminished," the two former premiers said.
"Any
misadventure that diverts attention from Afghanistan would add to the
prevailing uncertainties in our part of the world.... It is incumbent
upon the government of India to raise its voice at this critical
moment," they added in their joint statement.
 |
|
VP
Singh
|
India
has clearly and openly opposed any unilateral military action by the
U.S. against Iraq. On October 18, the Indian Ambassador to the U.N. VK
Nambiar said such a move would have "unforeseen and destructive
geopolitical implications" beyond the region.
Participating
in a U.N. debate on Iraq, the Indian ambassador said that the
international community's desire for Baghdad's compliance with U.N.
resolution on weapons inspection in Iraq does not justify any such
unilateral action.
Ambassador
Nambiar added that it is important to explore all possible
alternatives that can help avoid recourse to military action.
Strongly
opposing the presence of Council members in inspections,
extra-territorial interviews of Iraqi nationals or the use of U.N.
guards, Nambiar said, "We believe that the conditions attached to
any new resolutions or modalities of their implementation should not
be such as to a make them unworkable or effectively to invite their
rejection."
A
top Indian foreign ministry official said on September 22 that India
called for lifting of sanctions against Iraq if it complies with the
U.N. Security Council resolutions to allow in U.N. weapons inspectors.
"We
believe that sanctions should certainly be lifted, if Iraq does comply
with U.N. weapons inspections teams, and it has already shown a
willingness to give them unrestricted access," RM Abhyankar,
Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs said in Abu Dhabi
speaking at the Zayed Center for Co-ordination and Follow-Up.
Iraq
was reportedly on top of the agenda of Indian Prime Minister Atal
Behari Vajpayee's talks with European leaders last week.
Indian
had earlier sent special emissaries to world capitals to mobilize
support for Iraq
