- News>
- India
India tells US process of consultation on troops to Iraq is on
New Delhi, July 05: India has conveyed to the United States that the process of consultations on the question of sending troops to Iraq for participation in the stabilisation force `is continuing`.
New Delhi, July 05: India has conveyed to the United States that the process of consultations on the question of sending troops to Iraq for participation in the stabilisation force "is continuing".
This was conveyed during a telephonic conversation between US Secretary of State Colin Powell and External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha in Pretoria, South Africa on Thursday.
During the discussions, the issue of India's possible participation in the stabilisation force in Iraq came up. Sinha said, "The process of consultations is continuing". The telephonic contact comes close on the heels of the visit to Washington by foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal who said there were still certain "grey areas" in the UN resolution on Iraq and that "unresolved ambiguities" in the document needed to be clarified before India can decide on sending its troops to that country.
Sinha and Powell also discussed South Asia in the context of Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's recent visit to the US and the speeches he made during his stay. Powell informed him that the US and Pakistan have had "direct and forthright" discussions underlining the need for ending cross-border terrorism," the sources said.
The US Secretary of State briefed Sinha on the Middle East peace process and the latter wished success for the road map.
Sinha, who co-chaired the meeting of the India-South Africa Joint Commission, called on President Thabo Mbeki who is slated to visit India in October this year.
Bureau Report
During the discussions, the issue of India's possible participation in the stabilisation force in Iraq came up. Sinha said, "The process of consultations is continuing". The telephonic contact comes close on the heels of the visit to Washington by foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal who said there were still certain "grey areas" in the UN resolution on Iraq and that "unresolved ambiguities" in the document needed to be clarified before India can decide on sending its troops to that country.
Sinha and Powell also discussed South Asia in the context of Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's recent visit to the US and the speeches he made during his stay. Powell informed him that the US and Pakistan have had "direct and forthright" discussions underlining the need for ending cross-border terrorism," the sources said.
The US Secretary of State briefed Sinha on the Middle East peace process and the latter wished success for the road map.
Sinha, who co-chaired the meeting of the India-South Africa Joint Commission, called on President Thabo Mbeki who is slated to visit India in October this year.
Bureau Report