People's Democracy

Karat On UPA Govt’s Foreign Policy

RECENTLY the PTI had put out an interview with Prakash Karat, general secretary of CPI(M), based on a meeting with the editorial staff of the news agency. The interview covered various aspects of the present political situation, the UPA government’s policies and the CPI(M)’s views on them. As reported, a major part of the interview was taken up on the UPA government’s foreign policy and specifically Indo-US relations. 

The reports published in some newspapers have not correctly and fully reported the text of the interview. For instance, the Indo-US agreement referred to is not the nuclear cooperation agreement, but the wider strategic partnership contained in the Indo-US joint statement of July 2005.

We are publishing below the text released by PTI with regard to foreign policy and Indo-US relations.

On prime minister's statement in Thiruvananthapuram that there has been no basic shift in foreign policy, he said "on this point, we have been disappointed with the UPA which said it will follow an independent foreign policy and promote multi-polarity in international relations in the Common Minimum Programme. But (it) was acting contrary to these propositions".

He said the strategic alliance with the US "has gone beyond normal ties and close relations". The underlying theme behind the July 18 Joint Statement was that India was becoming a strategic ally of the US and the American global interests and the Indian interests have to be harmonised. "That is the thrust".

Karat said: “the Left was of the opinion that it was not in the country's interest to get into such an agreement with the US, the overall trend for which was laid by the previous Vajpayee government”.

Asked why the Congress-led government was doing this, he quoted the prime minister as saying it was in India's vital interests and it fulfilled "our basic objectives".

Calling for re-inventing the foreign policy, the CPI(M) leader queried whether India should bind all its energy needs to America. "We can build good ties with the US but we should also keep other windows open". "We are not able to answer questions on the foreign policy easily to people... that a government supported by Left is getting closer to the US," Karat said.

Asked if at any time the Left had seriously considered breaking the support to the government in the last two and a half years, Karat said "well, on foreign policy, definitely yes. Iran, and around that time, post-July 2005, have been a period when our party leadership discussed if this is the direction in which the government is going, then it will be difficult for the Left to sustain our support".

He said this was discussed seriously within the party and also with the UPA leadership "once or twice".

Asked whether it was an ultimatum, Karat said "no. It was not an ultimatum. On Iran, definitely, they did not listen to us. They went ahead."

He was asked whether government would have to pay dearly if there was a foreign policy deviation in CPI(M)'s view.

"There is a deep-rooted sentiment drawn from our experience of the freedom struggle about imperialism. In general, people react to this. The BJP underestimated it.

"We made it a big issue in 2004. There is a great patriotism in this country. What I am saying is that let them (UPA) not underestimate that (patriotism), Karat told PTI referring to the parliament resolution against sending Indian
troops to Iraq during the tenure of the BJP-led government.

"And if we feel that the government is not protecting the interests, our vital interests, national interests, we will go to the people and the price will be paid later. What I am saying is that the foreign policy is of major concern to us," he said.