India suggested subtly on Wednesday that President Hosni Mubarak should step down and pave the way for a regime change in Egypt.
“The people of Egypt are fairly clear in their thinking and in their action and those who are ruling Egypt must see the writing on the wall,” External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna said in an interview to ‘Headlines Today.'
“It will be in the larger interest of the region and in the larger interest of our bilateral relationship that power is taken over by a sane, rationalist, pluralistic leadership which will be of benefit to the people of Egypt and our bilateral relationship,” Mr. Krishna said in reply to a question.
Meanwhile, Mr. Krishna visited the residence of the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj to apprise her about the steps being taken by the government over killing of fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy and rehabilitation of Tamils there.
He drove to the residence of the senior BJP leader after she tweeted about her request for a meeting with him to discuss these issues.
The BJP stated Mr. Krishna was “gracious enough” to visit Ms. Swaraj to allay her serious concerns on five issues, including the plight of Indian students in the U.S., and efforts being made to bring back Indians from Egypt.
Ms. Swaraj said Mr. Krishna informed her that Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao took up the fishermen issue with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa during her visit.
