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Iraq war has opened up new post-Cold War divisions: Vajpayee

IRNA

New Delhi, Nov 2, IRNA -- India`s Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee 
on Saturday said Iraq war has opened up new post-Cold War divisions, 
with heated debates on the meaning and viability of a cooperative 
multi-polar world order. 
According to a press release of India`s Press Information Bureau 
(PIB), a copy of which was received by IRNA on Sunday, Vajpayee while 
addressing the Combined Commanders Conference of the three Armed 
Forces here said: "We saw the inability of the United Nations 
structures to deal with current world realities. A new acrimony 
developed among members of the P-5 and we need to understand the true 
significance of these events and to draw from them the right political
and strategic lessons for our long-term security," he added. 
"The recent national discussions on events in Iraq showed that 
many in the country are still caught up in the time warp of a Cold War
mind set and strategic assumptions of an earlier era," Vajpayee said. 
The end of the Cold War and the disintegration of the Soviet Union
gave a strong jolt to many of India`s strategic and security 
assumptions of nearly five decades. The changed circumstances of the 
Indo-Soviet strategic alliance greatly affected India`s room for 
diplomatic maneuver in the world, Indian premier said. 
Vajpayee said, "The combination of diplomatic repositioning, 
economic resurgence and military firmness has given India a new 
importance in the international league. We have re-established our 
cordiality with USA, while strengthening our strategic partnership 
with Russia." 
Vajpayee also said, "India exploited the fluidities in the 
emerging World Order to forge new links with democratic societies on 
the basis of shared values, common objectives, convergent worldview 
and more recently, a coalition against terrorism." 
The Indian premier said, "In the larger picture of our regional 
interests, including energy security, Afghanistan and Central Asia are
of great importance to us. 
"We cannot accept Pakistan`s implied claim to Afghanistan as an 
expansion of its strategic space," he said, adding, "We will firmly 
withstand the crude threats that are being made against our consulates
in Kandahar and Jalalabad. Our economic assistance and other 
cooperation initiatives with Afghanistan will continue and we will 
similarly expand our cooperation in all areas with Central Asian 
countries." 
He said, "Our security environment ranges from the Persian Gulf to
the Straits of Malacca across the Indian Ocean, including Central Asia
and Afghanistan in the northwest, China in the northeast and southeast
Asia. Our strategic thinking has also to extend to these horizons." 
Vajpayee said, "We will continue to deal firmly with cross border 
terrorism and a meaningful dialogue with Pakistan is only possible 
when we see sincerity in their efforts to stop cross-border 
infiltration and to dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism." 
Referring to the recent measures announced to promote greater 
people-to-people interaction, cultural exchanges and economic 
cooperation with Pakistan, Vajpayee said, "Our constant effort is to 
encourage those elements in Pakistan who recognize the folly of 
permanent hostility towards India." 
IND/AH/210 
End