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Istanbul: As the UN Security Council faced sharp division on Iraq and West Asia, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on September 19 left for New York to address the UN General Assembly (UNGA), expressing full support for Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and seeking clarity from the world body on troop deployment in the war-ravaged Arab nation.

Issues of terrorism, developments in Iraq and the West Asia situation are likely to dominate the Prime Minister's address to UNGA on September 25 and his talks with US President George W Bush possibly on September 23.

During his week-long stay in New York, Vajpayee is also expected to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and other world leaders on the sidelines of the UNGA to discuss international, regional and bilateral issues.

On the West Asia situation, the Prime Minister has emphatically opposed any move by Israel to expel Arafat, saying he is the elected leader of the Palestinians.

On Iraq, another divisive issue at the UN, Vajpayee, who is the first Indian Prime Minister to address the General Assembly five consecutive times, has said there is no clarity as yet on further action on the issue by the Security Council.

"When the Security Council does take action, we will take a decision (on deployment of troops), keeping all aspects in mind, including our internal security situation," Vajpayee had said after his talks with the Turkish leadership.

Turkey, a long-time ally of Pakistan, has significantly refrained from raising the Kashmir issue during talks with Vajpayee, in contrast to Ankara's stand earlier.

Indian officials said Vajpayee or any member of his team will have no talks with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf or at any other level in the Pakistani delegation.

PTI