What they asked Mr Krishna

He ducked the question, but a point was made in the asking

This was the second question the new foreign minister had to answer:

Question: This is on Pakistan. Do you think it is a good time for India to pull back troops from the border? What do you think about America increasing aid for Pakistan without making it conditional on stopping cross border terrorism against India?

SM Krishna: We can change our friends, but not our neighbours. In general, we desire to live with all our neighbours in peace and to create a tension free situation with all our neighbours. We stand ready to extend our hand of partnership to Pakistan, if they take determined and credible action to dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism operating from there territory. [MEA emphasis added]

See C Raja Mohan’s rather optimistic take on the prospects for Indian foreign policy under S M Krishna’s stewardship. More than ideological certitude or “expertise” a good, sensible head—and Mr Krishna is known to have one—is what a good minister is made of. So let’s hope Raja-Mandala is right on this one.

Update: According to knowledgeable sources, the journalist who asked this question was CNN-IBN’s Parul Malhotra.

5 thoughts on “What they asked Mr Krishna”

  2. Nerus,

    In which case, I too stand accused of the same error. The very first post on this blog—indeed this blog’s genesis—concerns the realist case to send troops to Iraq.

    I stand by that judgement.

  3. There is no need to quote knowledgable sources. Two questions were allowed and the first wnt to Venkat of Dinamani who as usual wanted to know about Tamils in Sri Lanka. There were several raised hands but Jt Sec (MEA) Visnu Prakash’s eye caught Parul who was squatting uncomfortably right in front along with some other TV ladies.

  4. This has got to be the most ridiculous article written by the otherwise brilliant Raja. To make such sweeping judgements based on one or two inocuos statements ! Hopefully SM Krishna read the article and grasped the full significance of his statement!

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