The Hindu : Strive for peaceful solution: V.P. Singh

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 12, 2003

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Strive for peaceful solution: V.P. Singh

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI MARCH 11. Criticising the Vajpayee Government for adopting a "middle path" on the Iraq situation, the former Prime Minister, V.P. Singh, said today that India should come out openly against the impending war. "Instead, we should lobby for a peaceful resolution."

Addressing a press conference here, Mr. Singh said the Vajpayee Government was "afraid" of going against the U.S. "I am not against friendship with the U.S., but this does not mean that we should follow their dictates.'' Alleging that the U.S. was making a mockery of international institutions, in particular the U.N., Mr. Singh said it was "a country which is openly stating that it is free to decide on its own about taking action against Iraq if the U.N. failed to act. This is one country which has said it did not agree with the advice of its friends like Germany and France on Iraq."

To a question on the excavation at the disputed site in Ayodhya, Mr. Singh said this should not become a precedent. "Otherwise, it would be very dangerous and the entire country would be dug up."

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