India’s dilemma on sending troops to Iraq seems to have been exacerbated by the overall ‘‘negative’’ response on the part of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and the fact that New Delhi will have to foot all the expenses incurred by its soldiers in that country. Highly placed sources here said that Kofi Annan met External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha on June 10 in New York, and in effect voiced his disapproval over the possibility of India sending troops to keep the peace in an operation which did not have UN authorisation. Sinha’s encounter with Annan took place en route his return journey home from Brazil, where he had gone a fortnight ago to sign a trans-continental pact with the foreign ministers of South Africa and Brazil. Sinha is believed to have given a detailed briefing about his Annan meeting to Prime Minister Vajpayee, in which he talks about the Secretary-General’s perceived disillusionment with the fact that the US has disdained greater UN involvement in Iraq. While Sinha carefully notes that Annan did not at any time try and tell India what to do, his use of the phrase ‘‘neither encourage nor discourage’’ on behalf of the Secretary-General as well as a description of his negative body language pretty much indicates Annan’s disapproval. Moreover, New Delhi’s impression now is that Annan will not write any letter inviting India to participate in the ‘‘stabilisation’’ of Iraq. Government sources said Sinha’s meeting with Annan was part of New Delhi’s attempt to broadbase its Iraq queries as enjoined by the Cabinet Committee on Security. This will now find itself alongside the assessment Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani will provide from his visit to the US last week as well as the briefing by Pentagon officials to New Delhi earlier this week. Government sources, meanwhile, confirmed that the US nor anyone else would be giving a single paisa towards logistical costs for the 20,000-odd Indian troops, in transportation, upkeep, salaries as well as the cost of the operation. Nevertheless, there seems to be a growing temptation within the government not to turn down the US offer, especially since it would give New Delhi the opportunity to play in the big league worldwide. In fact, the Congress party is also said to be watering down its initial opposition to the idea, party sources said. The US is now said to be working on a formula to draw India in, which could include a request by the Iraqi Interim Authority to invite New Delhi. But analysts pointed out that may not hold much water, since the Authority continues to be packed with US-UK representatives.
