The ruling National Democratic Alliance on Saturday left it to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to decide on the American request to send Indian troops to Iraq.
Briefing reporters after the hour-long meeting, NDA convener George Fernandes told reporters that the constituents had varying opinions on the issue but agreed the issue was complex and needed deft handling.
They finally left it to Vajpayee to take a decision in accordance with national interests and those of the Iraqi people.
Fernandes said a decision would be taken only after the prime minister returned from China.
Among the points raised were about command and control (of the Indian troops in Iraq) and the expenses incurred in their deployment.
On the two US ships now berthed in Cochin were part of the force that attacked Iraq, Fernandes said, "Berthing of (foreign) ships is a normal practice," indicating that the ships were on a routine visit as opposed to a rest and recuperation halt.
External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha said New Delhi was yet to receive clarifications from the United States on the issue of the command and control structure in the event of India deciding to send troops to Iraq.
"A number of questions were put before the US team, which was in Delhi for discussions on this issue. Some, they were able to reply. To some others they said, they will get back after discussions in Washington," he said.
Sinha said an Indian team of doctors was in Iraq to look at the possibility of setting up a hospital, but denied India was angling for a share of the 'reconstruction pie'.
Leader of the Opposition and Congress president Sonia Gandhi has already told the prime minister to consult all political parties before taking a decision on the issue.
The Congress is opposed to sending troops for peacekeeping purposes to Iraq, except under the aegis of the United Nations.
On Saturday, the NDA also took a decision to send a fact-finding team to West Bengal, as per Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee's demand, to verify allegations that the state government's was 'mistreating' opposition parties.
A similar demand by Shiromani Akali Dal chief Parkash Singh Badal was also accepted.
Badal, who did not attend the meeting, has complained that he is being 'victimised' by the Punjab government.
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