Monday, December 12 2005 10:35 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

On Board Special Aircraft: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday (Dec 11, 2005) parried a question about assigning the External Affairs Ministry portfolio to someone ahead of upcoming visits by two key heads of states, including possibly of US President George W Bush.

"The decision will be known when it comes," Singh told reporters accompanying him to Kuala Lumpur when asked when he would name a new External Affairs Minister since French President Jacques Chirac is scheduled to visit India in February this year and Bush is also expected to visit the country soon after that.

Singh has retained the charge of External Affairs Ministry with him after K Natwar Singh, embroiled in Iraqi oil payoffs controversy following the Volcker report, was stripped of the portfolio in October.