NEW DELHI: The Indian Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar Friday said the refueling facility given to the U.S. military aircraft was a traditional practice and he did not see any departure from the old policy.
Winding up the debate on the adjournment motion in the lower house of parliament on the refueling issue and the Gulf war the prime minister said the refueling facility was immediately withdrawn when he saw the opinion was growing against it.
Chandra Shekhar said that he had convened a meeting of the opposition leaders to seek their views on this matter and found that they were opposed to the extension of the facility.
The prime minister explained that in view of the war like situation developing in the gulf the government had taken a guarantee from the United States that no lethal weapons would be carried by their aircraft refueling in India.
The prime minister said the aircraft overflying any country had to make one transit landing and get fuel in accordance with the international practice.
Indian air force planes were getting similar refueling facility in 24 countries Chandra Shekhar pointed out and said that one transit landing of overflying foreign aircraft was a must to enable our men check what the aircraft was carrying.
Referring to allegations that India had given free air corridor to the United States planes the prime minister declared that his government had not done so to favour any country.
On the other allegations that India had gone against Iraq he said that in the last one month envoys of Algeria Yemen and Iran and some other countries that mattered in the gulf war had met him.
Iraq had asked India to look after its interests in some countries he said adding that this clearly showed that his government enjoyed good relations with Iraq.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 1, 1991
