The Hindu : National : ‘My speech made no reference to NSA’s office’

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Tuesday, Jan 19, 2010
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‘My speech made no reference to NSA’s office’

NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Monday discounted reports suggesting that outgoing National Security Advisor (NSA) M.K. Narayanan had voiced objections to his moves to revamp the country’s security structure.

Mr. Chidambaram said the government had no proposal on the issue as of now and that he only articulated his views on a future security apparatus in his speech during a meeting of Intelligence Bureau officers last month.

“My speech was circulated as I believe the speech of the Home Minister should be circulated to key people in the Intelligence community. And I am sure that people were asked to give their comments on the ideas that were espoused in that speech. It [the speech] is still not yet a discussion paper, it is still not a proposal. I am working on it,” he told NDTV.

To a question on whether the role of the NSA will be diminished in a future security setup, Mr. Chidambaram said his speech did not even make a reference to this office. However, he said the NSA had a lot of work to do advising the Prime Minister on major issues — relating to civil nuclear agreements, border disputes and a number of issues that impinged on national security — apart from terrorism. Mr. Chidambaram has already announced plans for setting up a National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) by the end of the year amid speculation that this will result in a decline in the NSA’s authority.

The NCTC will be the nodal agency for counter-terrorism with analytical and operative wings. -- PTI

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