INDIA: Contingency plan in case of US-led attack on Iraq

By IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

Att.Editors: The following item is from the Qatar News Agency (QNA)

NEW DELHI, Feb 8 2003 (IPS) - The Indian government has prepared a contingency plan for its nationals in the Gulf region in the event of a US-led attack on Iraq, according to news reports Saturday.

A crisis management group – comprising officials from the external affairs, civil aviation, home affairs and shipping ministries – is being set up to protect India’s interests in case war breaks out, the ‘Indian Express’ newspaper reported.

External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha had earlier met all the Indian diplomats from the Gulf region on January 28 to review the contingency plans.

India has consistently opposed any unilateral action against Iraq by the United States.

Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee rejected the "game is over for Iraq" remarks by US President George Bush.

"I don’t think the game is over. Evidence produced by America should be carefully examined. Inspectors should be encouraged to continue with their work…. I hope Iraq fully cooperates with the UN Security Council," the Hindu newspaper cited Vajpayee as saying.

Vajpayee was addressing a joint press conference with French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, who said India and France had similar views on the situation in Iraq.

Raffarin said, "It’s not a game. It’s not over. There is an alternative to war and we hope that the process begun under Resolution 1441 of the United Nations will be allowed to run its course."

According to the ‘Indian Express’, India has conducted only one billion US dollars of trade with Iraq in the past 12 years.

Iraq owes India more than two billion dollars for reconstruction and other work after the Gulf War in 1991, the report said.