NEW DELHI: The newly established Indo- U.S. axis is believed to have scuttled last week’s Colombo conference of heads of state of the SAARC.
The U.S. and U.K., according to competent observers, do not want SAARC to emerge as an economic group on the ASEAN and E.C. pastime after India opened itself up to the west in the wake of its trade liberalization regime, An important item for the SAARC agenda was to conclude a SAARC preferential trade agreement ‘among the seven countries.
According to reports, diplomats belonging to the western countries dropped ‘menacing hints at the U.N. headquarters a few days prior to the scheduled SAARC summit to the effect that Bhutan’s king, Jigme Wangehuk, faced a veritable threat to his life both at home and in Colombo.
The refrain was taken up by India’s intelligence agency, RAW, which sent a secret report to the Bhutanese chief on the eve of his departure to Colombo suggesting dark plans of murder by a combination of “militant. Groups” ranging from Sri Lanka’s LTTE to Punjab’s militants virtually to suggest that the king better stay indoors in his Bhutan palace.
At the same time, RAW used its contacts in the Nepalese intelligence to plant a re- port suggesting disturbances in the Himalayan kingdom if the Prime Minister of Nepal, B.P.Koirala, left the country. The report was taken seriously and the Prime Minister cancelled the trip hours before the scheduled summit meeting.
The Indian intelligence network ensured doubly to scuttle the summit when it frightened the Nepal Prime Minister as well as the Bhutanese king against going to Colombo.
On his part, the Indian Prime Minister was almost certain since the outset of the ‘summit proposal that he would stay away mainly to slight the Sri Lankan President, R.P remdasa, who is quite jealous of his ‘country’s freedom and does not want any over lordship from any outside power. That is precisely why Premdasa had been critical of Indi, its so-called LP-KF. and its intelligence network on the stand. It was Premdasa who had given the marching orders to the LP.K.F. Only last month, Premdasa ousted All India Radio’s ‘Colombo Correspondent.
It is interesting to recall that the Indian and the U.S. intelligence agencies brave started collaborating after the Indian chief of the army staff visited Washington to conclude several proposals to intensify .Cooperation between the two counties armies.
Most of the exposures of the Indian intelligence vis-a-vis the scuttled Colombo ‘Summit have come from officers of the! Indian External Affairs Ministry who have been quoted also to suggest that Prime Minister’s office, rather than the MEA had briefed minister of state for foreign affairs Eduard Faleiro who was in Colombo prepare for the summit. The Prime Minister’s office mostly means senior and intelligence officers who almost entirely look after Narasimha Rao’s personal security.
Sri Lankan media also accused India of scuttling the summit, an allegation PAM Minister Rao’s resented and refuted WHE speaking to newsmen in Kamataks. The Prime Minister claimed he would alien ‘the summit if refresh dare was fixed)
Article extracted from this publication >> November 15, 1991
