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'I will review further participation'

By V.S. Sambandan

COLOMBO MAY 10. Upset by personalised political criticism, Adviser to the Sri Lankan Government, Satish Nambiar, today said he would "review further participation'' in the island's peace efforts.

``Any suggestion that I would be influenced hardly merits a response, but it certainly upsets me. This business of `he who pays the piper calls the tune' is even more upsetting. You invite a person and then insult him,'' Lt.Gen. Nambiar said when asked by The Hindu for his reaction to the political criticism. "If this is the attitude, I will have to review my further participation in the process,'' he added. "Views can differ. I am not saying that all should agree with my views, but to suggest that one is being influenced, I find that very, very upsetting'', he said over telephone from New Delhi. "I am upset. It hurts my self-respect. It is one of the things one has valued the most'', the first U.N. head of mission in erstwhile Yugoslavia said.

``It is on record. I have not taken a single rupee from the Government of Sri Lanka. They wanted some advice, I tried to give it,'' the retired Indian Deputy Chief of Army Staff said, adding "if they find some one better, they can go ahead.''

On the former Foreign Minister's reference that Sri Lanka had become a "sort of Hawkers Street for foreign experts peddling their wares'', Lt.Gen. Nambiar said: "I am not peddling any wares, I never had any need to do so and not now.''

While his role was "obviously in my personal capacity,'' Lt.Gen. Nambiar said: "as an Indian citizen and as one who has been part of the establishment I would not like the Government of India to be embarrassed by anything I do, to that extent I would keep them informed.''

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