BBC: India summons US envoy over Iran

[allemand]

India has summoned the US ambassador to Delhi after comments he made over India's relations with Iran.

US Ambassador David Mulford had warned that a deal giving India US nuclear technology could collapse if India does not back a UN motion against Iran.

He was told his comments were "inappropriate and not conducive" to US-India relations, India's foreign ministry said on Thursday.

Mr Mulford earlier said his remarks were taken out of context.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4649742.stm

Vajpayee calls US Ambassador's Iran remarks outrageous

Describing Ambassador David C Mulford's comments on the Indian vote over Iran at next week's IAEA meeting as "outrageous", former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today accused the US diplomat of denigrating his host country with his remarks.

Ahead of the IAEA meeting on the Iran issue, Mulford told PTI in an interview yesterday that if India did not vote against Tehran's nuclear programme, the fallout on the Indo-US nuclear deal in the US Congress would be "devastating." "The statement of the US Ambassador to India is outrageous. It violates all diplomatic norms. Ambassadors are not required to make personal remarks denigrating their host country," Vajpayee said in a statement here.

He also accused the UPA government of issuing an inadequate reaction to Mulford's comments.

"The reaction of the Ministry of External Affairs to the Ambassador's remarks is routine. It hardly expresses the indignation of the people of the sovereign and independent Republic of India," the former Prime Minister said.

http://www.outlookindia.com/pti_news.asp?id=351012

[endarkenment]

1. Oh look more blowback from neocon idiocy.

It seems that now India is not going to simply bend over and take it from our little Washington bullies. Won't anybody do what we tell them to do?

[EuroObserver]

7. Not necessarily (Mr. BLiar apart, that is...) n/t

[DemInDistress]

2. the world has changed Frodo Baggins..I feel it in the air

I smell it...is this bribery forced upon the India'ns

[bananas]

3. This is strange - he doesn't seem like the typical Bush crony

How did he get an ambassadorship?

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/28128.htm

BIOGRAPHY

David Campbell Mulford
Ambassador, India
Term of Appointment: 01/23/2004 to present

Ambassador to India David C. MulfordOn November 13, 2003 President Bush nominated David Campbell Mulford, a finance expert with previous government experience, as U.S. Ambassador to India. As required by the U.S. Constitution, the U.S. Senate confirmed his nomination on December 9, 2003. Ambassador Mulford was sworn in on January 23,2004.

Prior to this assignment, Ambassador Mulford was Chairman International and Member of the Executive Board for Credit Suisse First Boston in London, England, where he earlier held the position of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (Europe). From 1984 to 1992, he served as Assistant Secretary for International Affairs and, eventually, as Undersecretary for International Affairs for the Department of the Treasury.

From 1974 to 1984, Ambassador Mulford was also Managing Director and head of International Finance at White, Weld & Co., Inc., and a senior investment advisor to the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency. From 1970 to 1974, he was head of White Weld International Finance Group in New York and was with White, Weld & Co., Inc., international investment banking in New York and London from 1966 to 1974. He was a White House fellow in 1965 and 1966 and served as a special assistant to the Secretary of the Treasury.

Born in June 1937 in Rockford, Illinois, Ambassador Mulford earned his bachelor's degree from Lawrence University in 1959, his master's degree from Boston University in 1962 and his Ph. D. from Oxford University in 1965. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, has received several international awards, and has written several books. He is married and has two children.

Released on January 23, 2004

[muriel_volestrangler]

8. Cronies get the 'easy' ambassadorships

that just require money, and are basically a social whirl. India is more serious; so it gets an experienced international Republican (note he left public service at the end of the Bush I era).

[Village Idiot]

4. The whole issue is ridiculous and borders on the catastrophic.

If the USA's perennial lobbying forces the IAEA to "take action" against Iran, what does it say to the other 150 or so countries who are co-signatories of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Agreement?

The agreement GUARANTEES, with little qualification, that any and all signatories have the ability to pursue PEACEFUL Nuclear Energy programs, INCLUDING enrichment of fissile materials like Uranuim, Plutonium and Strontium.

Does this vote have the potential to unravel the NPA? Is this EXACTLY what the USA wants? According to PNAC, this is a scenario devoutly desired, since it would get the USA out of the NPA and they would be able to begin production of the next generation of nuclear weapons...

[Up2Late]

5. AhhYes, we almost forgot to screw up the relationship with India, the Last

country in the world where a majority of the people actually like us.

Well done sir, well done.

IDIOT! :banghead: :applause:

[DoYouEverWonder]

9. Bush needs a new "I" country

for his axis of evil. He knew he should have never included North Korea.

[cliss]

6. I think India is starting to run out of patience

with us. This is not the first time Washington has insulted India. I've read some articles in Indian newspapers, where they describe how the Americans "treat them like dirt". The US is rude, insulting, one time they called the Indian foreign minister "retarded" and "stupid". Of course, it was about referring Iran to the US council (back in October of last year).

And the big poker chip is....IRAN. It always comes back to Iran. They will use anything and anyone to accomplish their goal....which is to destroy that country.

The US considers India as a pawn, a tool to get what they want. They've got a little surprise coming...

[HuffleClaw]

10. haahahhahaa

i guess their little attempt at extortion is gonna backfire. good.

[struggle4progress]

11. India changes tune, defends Iran

NEW DELHI, Jan 27: India on Friday distanced itself from US-led calls to isolate Iran at next week’s meeting of the IAEA after controversial remarks on the issue by Washington’s envoy to Delhi enraged the nation as seldom seen before.

The Indian foreign ministry, facing a barrage of criticism for apparent obsequiousness towards Washington that ranged from allies in the Left Front to former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, appeared to have rowed back from its recent bonhomie with the United States.

“During the past two weeks, India has been undertaking active consultations with all key members of the IAEA Board of Governors and with Iran, in order to avoid confrontation and to promote the widest possible consensus on handling the Iran nuclear issue,” a spokesman for the Indian foreign ministry said.

He explained that in all the consultations, India has urged “that Iran’s right to develop peaceful uses of nuclear energy for its development consistent with its international obligations and commitments should be respected" ...

http://www.dawn.com/2006/01/28/top2.htm

[lovuian]

12. What will Bush do when India and China turn on him and

become Iran's friend and ally

Oil makes lots and lots of friends and Bush has spent his wad......