Front Page   

A flawed report: Natwar

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Making a personal explanation in the Rajya Sabha on the events leading to his resignation from the Union Council of Ministers, the former External Affairs Minister, Natwar Singh, said the Justice Pathak Inquiry Authority report was a "flawed document."

He also termed "biased" the report of the United Nations-appointed Volcker Committee, which named him and the Congress as non-contractual beneficiaries in the Iraqi oil-for-food programme. It gave no evidence as to how the names of both were included in its report, he said.

"Clearly, Mr. Justice [R.S.] Pathak's conclusions dealing with the contract in which I was mentioned as a non-contractual beneficiary and the contract in which the Congress party was mentioned as a non-contractual beneficiary are, at best, questionable. In neither case has he produced any evidence of my linkage except through surmises and assumptions. I would like to state with all my emphasis at my command that nowhere have I signed any contract, received any voucher, signed any receipt or made any transaction with any party," said Mr. Singh.

"Although the Pathak report is a flawed document, it is categorical about what matters most to me. It has, in clear terms, said my son and I derived no financial gains from any source. We stand fully vindicated."

On the Authority's observations on three letters written by him to the Iraqi Oil Minister, he said even if they were used for oil contracts, they were legitimate ones under the U.N. oil-for-food programme. "I am entitled to ask what illegality was committed by me in India or internationally. Furthermore, if I were to ask for a favour, I would have done so for my son or myself. At no stage, did I ask for any favour for myself or my son."

Mr. Singh said Mr. Justice Pathak did not examine the circumstances under which the Volcker Committee included his name as a non-contractual beneficiary. He also did not verify the documents on which such a conclusion had been made and gave no explanation how the name of many companies, mostly from the United States, were removed by him.

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

Stories in this Section

`Set ground rules on nuclear deal'
Suicide attack in Colombo
South Africa may pull out
A flawed report: Natwar
How India thinks about security
Opening match called off owing to rain, to be played today
Chappell keeps options open on openers
Foreign players in Ranji Trophy good for the game
Kalam for "comprehensive security"
"Let Centre probe Gavit issue and take action"
Cola firms launch counter-offensive
Supreme Court stays ordinance on appointment of archakas in temples
Lebanese head for home
Security tight for I-Day in Chennai
Tight security for Independence Day amid threats of terrorist strike
Unprecedented security at Red Fort for I-Day
Farmers' suicide: court inotice to Centre
Kirti Chakra for Army Major, fireman
No evidence of torture: Punnose
GO 5 on sweeping reforms cancelled
Diplomat summoned
I will return after getting Telangana: KCR
Militants lay down arms
ULFA attack kills 3
Adoption: disabled children are shunned
Terrorist-Pakistan link
SEBI fines Citigroup
`Senna and medicinal park' to be established in Tuticorin
Security blanket over Parade Grounds
First open heart surgery performed at Thanjavur Medical College Hospital

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu