Advani, Blair discuss Pak, troops for Iraq

British PM Tony Blair, in a clear departure from normal practice, came to the doorstep of 10, Downing Street to welcome Deputy PM L.K. Advan...

British PM Tony Blair, in a clear departure from normal practice, came to the doorstep of 10, Downing Street to welcome Deputy PM L.K. Advani this morning. Blair then ushered Advani into the garden rather than the conference room and the two met for a good 47 minutes instead of 30 minutes as scheduled.

Coming two days ahead of a meeting between Blair and Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf, today’s meeting had added significance for India. After the meeting, Advani said they ‘‘discussed several issues, including Iraq and Pakistan.’’ ‘‘The meeting was very good,’’ he added.

Sources said Advani apprised Blair of his discussions with US President George W. Bush and senior US officials. Four issues dominated the meeting — Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee’s latest peace initiative, deployment of Indian troops in Iraq, the global fight against terror and the problem of illegal immigration to Britain.

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Advani told Blair that India was still non-committal on sending troops to Iraq. The sources said Advani also underlined the need to step up international pressure on Pakistan to put an end to the proxy war against India.

India’s High Commissioner to Britain Ronen Sen said Advani told Blair that since Vajpayee had taken ‘‘a renewed initiative’’ to secure peace with Pakistan, there had been ‘‘no appreciable change in the situation on the ground’’ in the last two months. India, he maintained, was willing to resume ‘‘a composite dialogue’’ with Pakistan and discuss all issues, including J-K. However, he felt that ‘‘no meaningful dialogue is possible’’ with Pakistan till it stops cross-border infiltration and dismantles the terror network.

Asked about Britain’s opinion on the deployment of Indian troops in Iraq, Sen said ‘‘the issue did not come up.’’ Regarding India’s efforts to rope in Britain for convincing the US to build pressure on Pakistan, Sen said: ‘‘It is not our practice to involve any third country to make another country take any particular course of action. We have very good direct contacts with the US.’’

The issue of illegal immigration of Asians also figured in the talks between Blair and Advani as well as the latter’s luncheon-meeting with British Secretary of State for Home David Blunkett at the House of Commons later.