New Delhi reviews stand on Egypt
Krishna calls for solution acceptable to protesters
India on Tuesday subtly changed its fence-sitting stand on the mass agitations against President Hosni Mubarak’s regime in Egypt and termed huge protests at Tahrir Square in Cairo as 'an articulation of people’s aspiration for reforms'.
“What is happening there (in Egypt) is an internal affair of that country. And as a friendly country to Egypt, we hope that a resolution would be found which would be acceptable to those who are demonstrating there,” said External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, almost conveying New Delhi’s tacit support to the pro-democracy movement in Egypt.
In a separate statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said that New Delhi hoped that the “current situation” would be resolved “in a peaceful manner, in the best interests of the people of Egypt”.
It said, “India wishes that Egypt, a fellow developing country with which she enjoys close and traditional ties, will continue to be a strong and stable nation, contributing to peace and prosperity in the region.”
India has so far been very cautious on the pro-democracy stir in Egypt. New Delhi has in fact been trying to avoid taking sides.
But, with the protests against the current regime escalating, India apparently reviewed its fence-sitting stand and came out with statements that just stopped short of supporting the pro-democracy movements.
The External Affairs Minister also said that the Government would make necessary arrangements to bring back all Indians from Egypt, if they were willing and the Indian Embassy in Cairo was in constant touch with the community.
“If there are more Indians who want to come back, we will provide the necessary help and necessary aircraft arrangement will be done so that they can come...We are constantly in touch with the Indian community there,” he said.
There are about 3,200 Indians in Egypt and 2000 of them are based in Cairo.
