NEW DELHI: India on Monday reiterated its displeasure at British Foreign Secretary David Miliband observing last week that the Kashmir dispute was one of the “main calls to arms” for the terrorists. On a visit to the country, Mr. Miliband also urged India not to insist on extradition of the Mumbai terror attack suspects.
At a meeting here with a delegation of the British nuclear industry led by Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform Peter Mandelson, Minister of State for Commerce and Power Jairam Ramesh did some plain speaking.
He said that after consulting External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee he had first decided not to attend the meeting as a mark of protest against Mr. Miliband’s observations.
But Mr. Mukherjee later advised him to go to the meeting and mark India’s protest. Mr. Ramesh said India had been hospitable to the British for 400 years. In spite of the diplomatic spat caused by the “boorish behaviour” of the British Foreign Secretary, India would not put a cloud on the rest of the partnerships, especially in the civil nuclear arena, because of its centuries-old tradition of treating a guest like god.
Mr. Mandelson appreciated the Minister’s “honest” observations and said the U.K. stood fully with India in the fight against terrorism. The U.K. had no doubt that the Mumbai attacks were an act of unmitigated terror.
Mr. Mandelson said his country would work with India in “every possible way” to bring to book the perpetrators of the attacks and that there would be no compromise in this endeavour.
During his visit to the country, Mr. Miliband’s comments had led the External Affairs Ministry to state that India did not need “unsolicited advice” on its internal issues.
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