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Journalism of Courage
New Delhi has stepped up its efforts to have a say in the reconstruction of post-war Iraq, as External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha called up his British counterpart Jack Straw and dispatched R.M. Abhyankar, secretary (Asia, North Africa), to Amman, Damascus and Ankara, armed with a brief holding discussions on the future of Baghdad.
During his 20-minute talk Straw, Sinha reflected on India’s efforts to dispatch humanitarian aid worth 20 million US dollars to Iraq. New Delhi is keen that the package, including 50,000 metric tonne of wheat, lands at the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr under a UN-led effort at the earliest.
Last week, Sinha had spoken to US Secretary of State Colin Powell on similar issues. According to the MEA official spokesman, ‘‘this is part of the conversation.Sinha is having and planning to have with foreign ministers of several countries’’.
On a day when Lt Gen (retd) Jay Garner, the man chosen by Washington to head the reconstruction efforts, lands in Baghdad, Abhyankar travels to Amman with a list of Indian concerns, including efforts to ensure that Iraq’s territorial integrity is not violated.
Interestingly, Abhyankar’s trip comes in the wake of a meeting of Iraq’s neighbours, who expressed concern on the future of Baghdad. It is understood that Abhyankar’s brief includes Indian concerns that any move that violates Iraq’s territorial integrity would have security implications on the whole region.
On his three-nation tour, Abhyankar will also add New Delhi’s voice to Arab demands that a future Iraqi leadership must be in tune with the wishes of its people. New Delhi is also keen that allegations of Iraq possessing Weapons of Mass Destruction be investigated at the earliest.
Meanwhile, India’s Ambassador to Iraq, B.B. Tyagi, headed back to New Delhi for consultations, while First Secretary M.C. Pandey reopened the Indian embassy in Baghdad.
