Tuesday, August 30 2005 09:51 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chennai: Opposing the recent Indo-US Defence pact, CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat, yesterday (August 29, 2005) said that the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance(UPA) government at the Centre should seriously prepare a strategic document on the country's security.

The document should prevent the country from signing any agreement that went against its interests and independent foreign policy, he said while addressing a public meeting here.

He said the Centre should not follow the Non Democratic Alliance (NDA) government's foreign policy. The recent Defence pact would make India a strategic ally of the US, he claimed. The former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee had even stated that India was a natural allay of the US. This should not be followed by the UPA Government, he said.

The Left parties, while preparing a Common Minimum Programme (CMP) wanted a clause in it that the UPA government would pursue an independent foreign policy and the country would develop friendly relationships with all the nations. The Defence agreement signed by Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee was against the CMP, he said.

'We, the Left parties, make it clear that we want good relations with the US as it was one of the most developed countries in the world, but it should be open and have equal footing as India is a fast developing country'. India would have to play a major role in the International arena in future, he said.

He said the Left parties were taken aback about signing an agreement with the US and could not agree to the view that diplomatic matters, involving foreign policy and national security, should not be discussed in public. India is a democratic country and matters like Defence, foreign policy and security, should be scrutinized by the public through discussions, he said.