The Hindu : Encroachment of Consulate taken up with Pak.: Sinha

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 15, 2003

National

National

Encroachment of Consulate taken up with Pak.: Sinha

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI OCT. 14. Downplaying the incident of encroachment in the Indian consulate in Karachi, the External Affairs Minister, Yashwant Sinha, said today that "this appears to be the handiwork of some private party."

Unidentified persons encroached upon the Indian consular building in Karachi and the Indian High Commission had lodged a complaint with the city police to evict the illegal occupants.

"Somebody has sold something which does not belong to them. So we are in touch with the Pakistan Government," he said.

"We are taking it as seriously as we should," he said when asked if India viewed the incident seriously. Asked what retaliatory action the Indian Government would take, he said: "We are not going to war on this."

Mr. Sinha was transiting Chennai en route to Colombo, where he is to take part in the Fifth India-Sri Lanka Joint Commission meeting on October 15 and 16.

Asked if India would continue to play the role of an interested observer in the on-going peace process in Sri Lanka, he said India was keeping in touch with the developments.

"We believe that whatever settlement has to be arrived at, has to be arrived at between the parties in Sri Lanka," he added.

On the credit line that the Indian Government had extended to Sri Lanka, he said that of the $100 million, $45 million was already committed. "I hope to be able to look at another $30 million in this trip."

Asked about the issue of securing the extradition of the LTTE chief, V. Prabakaran, he said the Indian Government had taken it up with Sri Lanka. "Every time we get an opportunity, we remind them about it."

On the question of India's participation in the United Nations-sponsored conference in Madrid, he said the Government had the "intention so far" of going to Madrid. "But we are keeping a watch on the developments. We will see how things will move between now and then."

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National