India must lead at CPA: Halim

Fiji. He would be the second Indian to hold the prestigious position after former Lok Sabha Speaker Balram Jakhar, who had won the post in 1984 by a single vote.

While introducing Halim, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, who was elected Vice-President to the CPA executive committee, said: ‘‘We feel that the voice of the Third World will now be articulated more forcefully and our issues and problems will get more prominence. The CPA — which enjoys a consultative status at the UN — should be not reduced to annual jaunt.’’

Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman K. Rehman Khan, Rajasthan Speaker Sumitra Singh and her Andhra Pradesh counterpart Suresh Reddy were also elected executive members. India will play host to the CPA general body meeting in 2007, Chatterjee said.

Halim said the developing countries in the Commonwealth expected India to play the role of a leader which ‘‘we could work on’’.

He said there were ‘‘burning issues’’ before the Commonwealth that needed to be addressed. ‘‘The Iraq War was never discussed despite Britain’s involvement and it has created doubts in the minds of the Commonwealth countries,’’ he said. He said the CPA would try to make itself heard at other world fora as well.