ELECTIONS '98
COMMENTARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ARCHIVES

Vajpayee-Kabila talk places India in awkward position

India is trying to wriggle out of the controversy over Prime Minister A B Vajpayee's meeting with Congo president Laurent Kabila at Windhoek on Monday, as it has triggered adverse reactions from several African countries.

Diplomats, thus, are making every effort to play down the impact of the incident.

However, South Africa and Rwanda continue to be unhappy with the development.

Vajpayee had a 30-minute meeting with Kabila during which the latter briefed him about the Congo crisis. Though Indian officials describe the meeting as 'accidental', sources said Namibian President Dr Sam Nujoma arranged the meeting. Dr Nujoma was also present at the meeting.

India has made it clear that it is against interference in the internal affairs of any country.

While South Africa, Rwanda and Uganda favour a peaceful resolution of the month-long Congo civil war, Zimbabwe and Namibia have despatched troops to consolidate the Kabila regime.

The division in the African nations on the issue came to the fore at the NAM summit.

Representatives of the Kabila regime and the rebel group arrived in Durban to stake claim for NAM membership, which was ultimately conferred on the Democratic Republic of Congo.

UNI

Tell us what you think of this report