Washington: Seeking to clear the air on the issue of sending troops to Iraq, External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh today (June 12, 2004) said there was no re-think on this by the Indian Government and that any decision on it can only be taken after a national consensus.

"There is no question of any reconsideration", Singh told reporters when asked if the Government was having a fresh look about sending troops to the war-ravaged country in the light of the new UN resolution.

He said, "No one has asked for sending Indian troops. Decisions on matters of such importance can only be taken after a national consensus is reached and policy of the Congress party remains the same as reflected in Parliament's unanimous resolution passed late last year."

Singh's clarification came in the wake of interpretation of his remarks made yesterday at a joint press meet with US Secretary of State Colin Powell.

Describing as "total misinterpretation" of the remarks made by him, Singh said what he meant by "fresh look" was about the new UN Security Council resolution on Iraq adopted unanimously. It talks about step-by-step approach for restoring sovereignty to Iraq.

On his talks with Powell, Singh said, "I have made it clear that we are a coalition Government and any decision on troops being sent to Iraq can only be taken by consultations with all the coalition partners and all other political parties."

Asked what he meant by his statement that the situation has "changed" after the UNSC resolution, Singh said, "The situation has changed in regard to the Government of the US and the Senate Committee to examine the abuse of Iraqi prisoners. That is the new changed situation."

About his remarks that the resolution has to be examined carefully, Singh said it has to be "very carefully and very minutely examined because this matter is so sensitive that we have to read the fine print."

Singh, who has been critical of the developments in Iraq while in Opposition, said, "The question of rethinking this issue does not arise."

He said the issue has to go to the Cabinet Committee on Security and to the Cabinet and a national consensus will have to be obtained.

On the criticism levelled by former External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha, he said, "No one is more conscious of this than the Congress party and Sinha has only repeated the position I have taken in Parliament.

The Minister regretted "personal attacks" made by Sinha who said in Delhi that India can "ill afford a Foreign Minister who suffers from a foot-in-mouth disease" and that he has become a "national liability".

"I regret that he has resorted to uninformed personal attacks. I consider it beneath my dignity to respond to such personal attacks by a colleague younger to me."