New Delhi, Apr 04: Dismissing criticism about the "middle path" adopted on the Iraq crisis, external affairs minister Yashwant Sinha says India will calibrate its position as and when it becomes necessary but feels that under no circumstances Iraq's sovereignty should be disturbed. Notwithstanding the unilateralism displayed by US-led coalition in waging the war bypassing UN, New Delhi is keen that the post-war reconstruction politically and economically should be under the UN aegis.

Maintaining that the war is "far from over", the minister said it was inappropriate to talk about economic reconstruction at this point of time. In an hour-long interview to a news agency, Sinha said "too much" has been made of the middle path adopted by the country.

"The Prime Minister had spoken of the middle path in another context before the war had actually started. Once the war started, there is no question of the middle path. We have clearly stated that this war lacked justification and was avoidable.

"We have never supported the war. We still stand by our position that unilateral action was not warranted and whatever has to be done should be through the UN and that war is not a preferred solution". Bureau Report