The External Affairs Minister, Mr.Pranab Mukerjee spelled out his Government’s stand on a wide range of issues covering the Foreign Policy in the Rajya Sabah on Wednesday.
On the Indo-U.S. Nuclear deal, he countered the criticism of the BJP that the Government should either mend or end it by replying that we can neither mend nor end the deal at this stage. The dialog on the India Specific Safeguards with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had made further progress, but, has not still reached a stage for reporting to the Parliament. Whenever the procedure is over , the Government would place it before the Parliament.
Refuting the criticism of India being isolated and her Foreign Policy being diluted by his Government, he said that there has been no change in the fundamental tenet of the Foreign Policy in terms of Non-Aligned Movement, but, India has to make adjustments and shuffle the priorities in the context of changing world. For instance, there was no World Trade Organization when the ‘Non-Aligned Movement’ was formed.
On the differences of opinion between India and China with regard to Arunachal Pradesh, the announcement of the package by the Prime minister is within the policy framework of the Country and his Government would endeavor to convert the divergence into convergence.
On the Tibetan Issue, he said that there has been no change in his Government’s stand that Dalai Lama or his followers should not indulge in political activity that could jeopardize India’s friendly relationship with China. If such a stand reassures China, it cannot be construed as patronizing them.
On the criticism particularly of the Left about the Country’s joint military exercise with the U.S.A. the tone of his reply was in the nature of reassuring them. According to him, it neither meant giving up on India’s sovereign stand nor being depressurized. It signaled the recognition of our capability which we did not have earlier. The joint exercise with U.S. should be taken in the same footing as that of ones with Russia and China.
On the India’s forming an alliance with Israel to put up a spy satellite in the Orbit, he replied that it was not an act of two Governments, but, two commercial entities.
On the India-Srilanka scenario,he denied the criticism of the Government being sympathetic to LTTE which continues to remain as a banned outfit, but, opined that a political solution is the only answer to ethnic problems there.
Last and not the least, commenting on the resumption of talks between India and Pakistan, he said that this would resume once a popularly elected Government is in place in Pakistan.
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