Guests from Gulf

The biggest delegation from the UAE ever, consisting of the Who8217;s Who of the Emirates save the old Sheikh himself and led by Sheikh M...

The biggest delegation from the UAE ever, consisting of the Who8217;s Who of the Emirates save the old Sheikh himself and led by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan is visiting India these days, a remarkable indication of how the relationship between New Delhi and Abu Dhabi has moved from strength to strength.

Ambassador K C Singh, who now moves from the UAE to Iran as ambassador, seems to have pulled off quite a coup by bringing the creme de la creme of the Gulf nation to the capital. The visitors are full of praise for KC, itself an acknowledgement of the Indian envoy8217;s inside contacts in a system that is part-feudal, part-cutting edge technology.

Considering the high-stakes interests New Delhi has in the Emirates 8212; right from the lakhs of expatriate Indians who work there to the large numbers of gangsters, including from the dreaded Dawood gang, that the UAE has handed over to New Delhi in recent months, to the fact that it is a key Gulf neighbour 8212; it comes as a bit of a surprise that the UAE delegation8217;s appointments were still somewhat hazy and unconfirmed until yesterday.

Still, all indications are that India and the Emirates are moving closer together on their vision for the Gulf, which includes their acceptance of the role New Delhi8217;s combat troops will play in Iraq.

Tell8217;em about Tibet

Barely back from China, Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal hotfooted to the US for follow-up talks on the transfer of non-dual use high technology to India beginning July 1. Besides his counterpart, undersecretary for commerce Kenneth Juster, Sibal is also set to meet deputy secretary of state Richard Armitage.

The talks will also focus on the recent 3 billion award to Pakistan as well as the PM8217;s recent visit to China, including a discussion on the Indian acknowledgement that the 8216;Tibet Autonomous Region8217; is a part of the People8217;s Republic of China.

With the RSS at home determined to discuss the China-Tibet issue during a conclave on July 5-6, it might be worthwhile to look at the US 8216;Tibetan Policy Act of 20028217;. For a start, the US cuts out the semantics jugglery the Indian side took recourse to so often during PM Vajpayee8217;s trip to China last week, pointing out that 8216;Tibet8217; and the 8216;Tibet Autonomous Region8217; are one and the same. 8216;8216;Because we do not recognise Tibet as an independent state,8217;8217; the US Act says, 8216;8216;the US does not conduct official diplomatic relations with the Tibetan 8216;government-in-exile8217; in Dharamshala8230; It is a sign of our country8217;s respect for the Dalai Lama that the President, the Secretary and other senior administration officials have met with him on several occasions.8217;8217;

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Since the Indian and the American line usually replace the other with little difficulty, one hopes the Indian political class would become as interested in the Dalai Lama. When is the last time, for example, that a Prime Minister met Tibet8217;s holiest man? Especially since he lives only a few hundred kms away in Dharamshala?

Man from Myanmar

As Air-India One flew over Myanmar to China last week, the PM8217;s party got a chance to see the beautifully winding Irrawaddy river 8212; which the Chinese are extremely keen to use and partially transform into a network of waterways which will link up with southern China and give Beijing access to the Bay of Bengal.

Interestingly, Yangon has so far resisted China8217;s charms on the Irrawaddy project, with the SPDC increasingly inclined to walk the middle path between the tempting offers made by Democratic India and Communist China. Myanmarese ministers are happy to visit New Delhi, and if it wasn8217;t for the PM8217;s visit to China last week 8212; when he took with him key ministers like Yashwant Sinha, Arun Jaitley, Arun Shourie 8212; Myanmarese planning minister U Soe Tha would have been here to sign a 25 million credit line agreement announced in January.

Another reason for the cancellation of course could also be that world attention continues to be focussed on the internment of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and Mr Soe didn8217;t want any uncomfortable questions during his sojourn here. This, despite New Delhi8217;s official line that a sustainable solution to Myanmar8217;s problems must come from within. Both sides are now working on new dates for Mr Soe.

Hot contender

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India8217;s Ambassador to France Savitri Kunadi is making waves again. First of all, Ms Kunadi was given a three-month extension in her present office, violating all the rules of the Pay Commission which, when it extended the retirement age to 60 years, ruled out all extensions for officers.

But Ms Kunadi8217;s fan following in the establishment is clearly undeterred. Rumours are rife that she is in the running to be the next ambassador to the US. That her three-month extension will bring her up to February, when the present incumbent Lalit Mansingh 8212; believed to have embarrassed deputy PM L K Advani no end with his public praise of him recently 8212; finally gives over. Foreign Officewallahs are nervously staring at the calendar these days, wondering what is in store for them.