NEW DELHI, November 30 (IslamOnline) - In one of its strongest show of solidarity with Iraq so far, the Indian government has come out in its firm support, and said that it won't allow Iraq feel let down under any circumstances. The Indian government spelt out its stand in categorical terms on the floor of the Indian Parliament here Thursday, November 28.

Yashwant Sinha, federal external affairs minister, told a session of the Rajya Sabha (Upper House or House of Elders in the Parliament) that Iraq under President Saddam Hussein has been a friend of India. He should not feel let down. India's support for Iraq is principled and constant.

Replying to a short-duration discussion on the situation in West Asia, Sinha said he had apprehensions that if any unilateral U.S.-sponsored military action against Iraq takes place it could spell disaster extending beyond the Gulf region. India is keeping close watch on the developments that threaten to disturb world peace and security, Sinha said.

Let's not allow emotions to overtake our stand and responsibility and let national interest and idealism, which have been the two pillars of our foreign policy, give expression to our position, Sinha stressed and added. The world peace should not be affected because of the adventure of one country.

Any action against Iraq should be under the auspices of the United Nations and the issue should be resolved through peaceful means without resorting to use of military force. And, if the UN weapons inspectors don't find any weapons of mass destruction and Baghdad satisfactorily complied with the arms inspectors, then the sanctions imposed against Iraq since 1990 should be lifted, the external affairs minister said.

Referring to the visit of Saddam Hussein's special envoy Al-Sahhaf to the Indian capital last week, Sinha said that Al-Sahhaf had assured and demonstrated complete agreement regarding Baghdad's acceptance and compliance of the UN resolution. Iraq had told us that it does not have weapons of mass destruction and hence it would allow UN inspectors in and also abide by the UN resolutions, Sinha said.

Sinha met with Arab ambassadors in New Delhi last August. At that time too, he had stated the government's stand that the use of force against any nation was completely unacceptable. We are very clear that there should be no armed action against any country, more particularly with the avowed purpose of changing a regime, Sinha said. Iraq had every right to deter any U.S. possible attack, he added.

Iraqi Ambassador to India, Salah Al-Mukhtar hoped that Indian policy would be much clearer. Now, India has fully understood that any war against Iraq besides the absence of legal coverage will affect directly its major interests.

India's sound backing of Iraq this time round is not without any reason. New Delhi has high stakes particularly in the Gulf region because it imports most of its crude oil from here. Besides, 3.5 million Indian expatriates are presently working in Iraq.

Also, historically and traditionally, India has strong political and economic relations with that country. Among few Arab states, Iraq is one of them to have supported India on Kashmir issue. Besides, the infrastructure in Iraq has been largely built by Indian firms.

However, during the 1991 Gulf War, India, for reasons best known to its leaders, demonstrated a flip-flop attitude regarding its stand on Iraq. On one hand, the then external affairs minister Inder Kumar Gujral flew to Baghdad to commiserate with Saddam Hussein, while on the other Chandrashekhar government surreptitiously allowed refueling facilities to U.S. military planes in India.