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Japan withdraws ambassador: India launches diplomatic offensive to woo NAM, developing world

India launched a diplomatic offensive to muster the support of the Non-Aligned and developing countries on the nuclear tests conducted by it even as Japan today recalled its ambassador and China blamed New Delhi for threatening peace in South Asia.

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee directed Minister of State for External Affairs Vasundhara Raje to rush to Colombia for the NAM ministerial meeting and explain to member countries India's geo-political concerns, which prompted it to carry out the nuclear tests.

Official sources said Raje, who is attending the G-15 summit in Cairo, was leaving for the Colombian capital, Cartagena, tonight for the NAM meeting, to be held on May 19 and 20.

In Cairo, she explained to the G-15 countries that the Indian nuclear tests were not aimed against anyone and these were conducted keeping in mind the environment in the region.

Sources said India was in constant touch through diplomatic channels with all countries. An external affairs ministry spokesman said India is closely monitoring international reactions on the nuclear tests.

The prime minister, who held a public darbar at his residence this morning, told reporters that India will take a stand on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty in consultation with all political parties.

Finance ministry officials are keenly watching the outcome of the G-8 summit of industralised nations in Birmingham to see if they take a concerted stand on imposing economic sanctions against New Delhi.

Meanwhile, Japan, which had announced suspension of loans to India after it carried out the tests on Monday, today asked its ambassador to ''temporarily return'' to Tokyo. The other tough measures it took included freezing yen loans for new projects in India and examining loans extended by international financial institutions.

Reacting to the second series of tests, China issued a strong statement India's action was ''nothing but an outrageous contempt for the common will of the international community for a comprehensive ban on nuclear tests''.

Australia announced the suspension of bilateral defence relations, non-humanitarian aid and visits of its officials to India. European Union envoys met Foreign Secretary K Raghunath and made a demarche to him on India's nuclear tests.

UNI

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