UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 475
TO BE ANSWERED ON 24.07.2003
DR. AKHILESH DAS:
SHRI KALRAJ MISHRA:
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Prime Minister in his recent 3-Nation tour of Germany, Russia and France at a Press Conference in Lausanne spelt out five questions that India expects to be answered before India could consider sending or not sending its troops for stabilisation
process in Iraq;
(b) if so, what specific questions were posed that needed to be answered before consideration of the proposal; and
(c) what answers, if any, have been provided thereto?
ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI VINOD KHANNA)
(a) – (b)
Yes. On June 2, responding to queries in a Press Conference in Lausanne, the Prime Minister had indicated that India needs answers to some questions before it can consider sending troops for the stabilisation process in Iraq. The questions referred to were:
(1) Why are the Indian forces being asked for? (2) Would they be tasked with maintenance of law and order, or in the event of any potential revolt, would they be required to use force? (3) How long will our troops be required to stay? (4) What is the road-map
for Iraq? (5) Under whose command would our troops function?
(c) Discussions were held with the U.S., the U.N., Iraq's neighbours and Iraqi representatives concerning these issues. Clarifications were obtained on some of the issues, while some gray areas remained.