'U.S. missile programme runs counter to disarmament'

NEW DELHI, JULY 8. India today opposed the U. S. Missile Defence programme saying it would ``damage'' the overall approach to global disarmament and enhance weaponisation.

``The `minuteman' intercontinental missile defence programme of the United States will, without doubt, have a consequence which will be damaging to the overall approach to disarmament,'' the External Affairs Minister, Mr. Jaswant Singh, told a programme to be telecast on DD tomorrow.

In his first comments immediately after the failed missile test in California, Mr. Singh said, ``we do not support the militarisation of outer space... (It) will be going away from the path of de-weaponisation and lead to enhancement of weapons,'' according to a release by journalist, Mr. Saeed Naqvi, who interviewed the Minister for the ``Worldview India''.

The Minister said the U. S. missile programme ``runs counter to their own philosophy of moving from step one to two .... to three and a gradual reduction of the vast armoury of weapons of mass destruction.

``It is a programme about which European countries and the community is feeling very anxious about,'' Mr. Singh said.

On the hostage crisis in Fiji, Mr. Jaswant said his priority lay in getting the hostages released and to influence the situation to the extent that the Island nation did not descend to a greater civil disorder.

He said India was greatly concerned on Fijians turning against their own countrymen. The issue would be discussed with the Australian Prime Minister during his upcoming visit.

On Pakistan military ruler Gen. Pervz Musharraf's call for 'any time, any place and any level dialogue' Mr. Singh said it had to be understood that the whole exercise was not about public relations, but is about good bilateral relations.

- PTI

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