New Delhi, June 21: A meeting of the NDA leaders to discuss the issue of deployment of Indian troops in Iraq has been convened for today on the eve of the week-long visit to China by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
The meeting comes in the wake of defence minister and convenor of NDA, George Fernandes ruling out any immediate dispatch of troops to form part of stablisation force in Iraq saying several key questions raised with US on command and control, logistics and un involvement remained unanswered.
"Though talks have been held with officials from Pentagon and state department, these key clarifications have remained unanswered by Washington", he had said.

Meanwhile, BJP president M Venkaiah Naidu stated in Mumbai at the conclusion of the brainstorming session of the party "whatever decision is taken would be done so in national interest."
Fernandes had said that there could be no decision on sending troops to Iraq till New Delhi got all the clarifications sought by it.



The government would consider all pros and cons before making any final commitment, he said.


Bureau Report