NEW DELHI: Iraq has lodged a strong protest with India over its decision to allow American military transport aircraft to refuel in Bombay en-route to and from the war zone in the Gulf.
Iraqi ambassador Abdul Wadood Sheikhly who called on the foreign office Monday and lodged the protest said that the refueling was “unacceptable from a friendly country like India.”
The envoy said Iraq felt concerned that India was allowing American aircraft which were coming after attacking “innocent civilians’ in Iraq to refuel.
There could be no justification for helping the American “criminals” Sheikhly added.
The Indian decision to allow American planes coming from the bases in Philippines to refuel at Bombay’s Sahar international airport has been criticized by the Congress (I) Janata Dal and the left parties.
The government has said that the refueling of aircraft carrying only “non-lethal military cargo and medical supplies” was part of the bilateral ties with the USA.
NEW DELHI: Six Lok Sabha members including four independents threatened to withdraw their support to the Chandra Shekhar government protesting against the issue of allowing refueling facilities to the US planes.
The government’s decision to extend facilities for the U.S. planes at Bombay is tantamount to a total breach of trust which the Iraqi government reposed in India and a sell out to American bullyism Mohammed Hassan Commander (independent) said in a statement.
Commander said the MPs who met here recently were seriously considering a review of their joint support to the government and a final decision would be taken in the next few days.
The meeting was attended by Munnan Khan Mohanbhai Delkar Devji Jogibhai Tande (all independents) Nandu Thapa (Sikkim Sangram Parishad) and Rajdev Singh (Shiromani Akali Dal Mann).
NEW DELHI: The Indian premier told a special envoy of the Palestinian president at Ballia (Uttar Pradesh) where the national convention of Janata Dal (socialist) is being held that India along with Nam and other like-minded countries would strive to bring peace to the area.
The prime minister expressed deep anguish at the devastation and loss of human life because of tragic conflict.
The envoy Jamal Sourani member of the PLO executive committee gave the Prime Minister a special communique of Yasser Arafat.
Arafat gave an assessment of the current gulf crisis in the communique an external affairs ministry spokesperson said He felt the Gulf hostilities had gone beyond the UN Security Council resolutions and these should be brought to an end immediately.
The premier said the government was not prone to any pressure from outside. He asked the people not to lend any credence to rumors in this regard.
Chandra Shekhar said India had always supported the people who were defending their freedom. “We will always be with the just cause he added.
He said those who described his government as weak and incapable of withstanding outside pressures were mistaken. India had made all out efforts to prevent the outbreak of hostilities in the gulf as it felt nobody could emerge winner at the end of the war.
India the premier said was in touch with friendly countries and had been making attempts to ensure the cessation of hostilities.
He said if the war continued for a longer period it would seriously affect the Indian economy Secondly if oil resources in the gulf were destroyed there could not be any peace in the region.
Chandra Shekhar said he had sent message to the Iraqi president Saddam Hussein and the U.S. President George Bush requesting them to end the gulf wars.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 8, 1991
