M A I N   N E W S

USA in touch with India

Washington, July 26
The USA is still in touch with India on sending its troops to Iraq because New Delhi has not said a ‘flat no’ to deploying its forces in the war-ravaged country, according to US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

At a US Department of Defence briefing here, he said, “We have been talking to the Indians, the Pakistanis, the Turks, the Bangladeshis, and any number of other countries and I anticipate we will continue to get more international (support).”

Mr Powell’s comments came close on the heels of US Secretary of State Colin Powell conveying to External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha that Washington was considering seeking the passage of a fresh resolution in the UN Security Council, which might facilitate India to reconsider its decision against sending troops to the embattled country.

The Indian Cabinet Committee on Security had on July 14 turned down a US request to send Indian troops to Iraq to join the stabilisation force. India said it could consider the request if there was an explicit mandate for sending troops to Iraq.

NEW DELHI: With a fresh UN resolution on Iraq to give a broader mandate to enable more countries to participate in stabilisation force on the cards, the USA is likely to renew its request to New Delhi to send troops to Iraq, during the two-day visit from Monday of the Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen Richard B. Myers.

General Myers, who would be the first topmost US official to visit India, weeks after it turned down a proposal to send troops to Iraq, would hold intensive negotiations with National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra and top defence officials, including Chairman of the Chief of Staffs Committee Admiral Madhvendra Singh.

During his visit General Myers would also hold talks with the Army chief, Gen N.C. Vij, and new Defence Secretary Ajay Prasad who is also the co-Chairman of the Indo-US Defence Policy Group.