Thursday, March 17 2005 15:32 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: CPM (Communist Party of India-Marxist) today (Mar 17, 2005) hit out at the US' stand on Indo-Iran gas pipeline project through Pakistan and said Washington had no business to interfere in a decision taken by three sovereign countries.

"The United States has no business to interfere in a decision between three sovereign countries - India, Iran and Pakistan to cooperate on building a gas pipeline," the CPM Polit Bureau said in a statement in New Delhi.

"The Bush administration has targeted Iran and is adopting the familiar pattern of raising false charges to isolate a country which does not bow to its dictates," the party said.

CPM hoped that both India and Pakistan would do well to "rebuff such arrogant interference and proceed with the project speedily which will be of benefit to all the three countries concerned.

The US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had yesterday said "our views on Iran are very well known... We have communicated to the Indian Government our concerns about the gas pipeline cooperation between Iran and India."

However, CPM welcomed Foreign Minister Natwar Singh's stand that India will go ahead with the discussion on the project, notwithstanding Washington's objections.

On the issue of Nepal, the Left party appreciated the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) Government's decision to stop military supplies to Himalayan Kingdom and asked the Centre not to resume it.

"The Indian Government should continue all efforts to see that restoration of democracy is accomplished (in Nepal) as soon as possible," CPM said.