The Hindu : New Delhi will join in over time, hopes Washington

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 16, 2003

International

International - India & World

New Delhi will join in over time, hopes Washington

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON JULY 15. The White House has said that perhaps over time India will be able to join in on the efforts in Iraq and has reiterated one more time that every country will have to come to a decision based on its own domestic compulsions.

"We have been in touch with a number of countries. Obviously each country has to come to its decision and make the decisions based on its own domestic considerations. I would remind you that there are 19 countries committed to the part of the stabilisation force in Iraq; and we continue to talk to many others about participation as well,'' remarked the new White House spokesman, Scott McClellan.

"It remains our hope over time that India will be able to join these efforts too,'' Mr. McClellan said. The President's new Press Secretary is known to be tough and friendly and has over the last two years worked very closely with the former spokesman, Ari Fleischer, who left the job yesterday. Mr. McClellan is a 35-year-old Texan with deep political roots in the President's State. He joined the Texas Statehouse in 1999 and soon thereafter became the Governor's Deputy Communications Director.

Mr. McClellan was the travelling press secretary for the Bush Presidential Campaign of 2000.

In announcing his appointment, the President, George W. Bush, said, "I've known Scott for a long time. He'll be able to do the job, like Ari did, with the highest amount of professionalism and class''.

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