'We Condemn The Continuing Incarceration'

I saw some a report on a statement thatI had made yesterday on the situation in Palestine and the arrests ofPalestinian leaders. The reports seemed to argue that perhaps this was aquestion of too little too late. And the statement was made when they havealready been freed. I just wanted to clarify the fact that on the 28th of June,eight cabinet ministers of the Palestinian National Authority were arrested and21 members of Parliament. On the 1st of July we hadmade a statement which regretted that Israel should have chosen to give amilitary response to the capture of the Israeli soldier rather than afford timeand opportunity for diplomatic action to resolve the matter. During the ensuingweeks to my information only one to the Ministers Mr. Sameer Abu Eisheh,Minister for Planning was released on 18th of July. So what we said yesterdayand I would like to underline those words, was that India remains – and thatmeans it is a continuing process – and we condemned the continuingincarceration of the Ministers. So I would like to put that statement inperspective given the facts on the ground and our earlier statement.

Question:Ofthe 600 evacuees, how many are foreign nationals? Has the Nepalese governmentformally requested India to help in the evacuation?

Navtej Sarna:Out of the 600 odd that were moved on the INS Mumbai, I have confirmed figuresthat there were six Nepalese. There may have been 1-2 others from differentcountries, but I do not have a confirmed figure. Yes, we have received a requestfrom the Government of Nepal seeking assistance in evacuating Nepalese citizensfrom Lebanon and bringing them back. We will render whatever assistance we can.Six people have already been taken on the ship.

Question: What is the total number of people who have asked Indianembassy for evacuation?

Navtej Sarna:This is a very difficult question at a given moment of time as it is a fastevolving situation. I think going by the counts in the morning there are atleast 400 odd requests but these are coming in all the time.

Question:On the arrest of a LeT terrorist, Abdul Karim Tunda in Kenyathis morning. Apparently the Indian embassy had informed the authorities and hewas arrested…

Navtej Sarna:I have seen the reports and I have got the questions. We have asked our HighCommission in Kenya for a confirmed report on the fact. When we have it, we willlet you know.

Question:When will be the next round of evacuation?

Navtej Sarna:In the next few days. This depends upon a variety of logistical factors on theground. So it is difficult to give a date and time as to when the ship willactually be in a position to take on people when the processes that are requiredto be completed will be completed.

Question: Isdauran aur koi Bhartiya nagrik jakhmi hua hai ya maara gaya hai? [In thisperiod, has any other Indian citizen been injured or killed?]

Navtej Sarna:Jaise ki kal maine bataya tha, ek Bharatiya nagrik Devesh Kumar Swain lapatathe. Aur ab khabar mili hai ki unki maut ho gayi hai. [As I had saidearlier, one Indian citizen Deyesh Kumar Swain was missing and now news has beenreceived that he has died]

Question: May I ask for your reactions on the comment of the MyanmarForeign Minister this morning who is also Chairman of ASEAN at the moment. Indiaand China are friends of Burma and they should do more persuade the regime there...

Navtej Sarna:Obviously, I cannot speak for China but as far as India is concerned, India haswide ranging engagement with the Government of Myanmar. We have had severalimportant visits from both sides. We had important economic and infrastructuralprojects on the anvil with Myanmar. On the political process, let me say that wehave been persuading Myanmar to fully implement its own roadmap to politicalreforms and national reconciliation process, while making it clear at the sametime that this process needs to be made more inclusive and broad-based.

Question :Are the three naval ships still berthed at the Beirut harbour?

Navtej Sarna:The ships are at hand but they actually have to move in to berth to be inposition to pick up passengers. That obviously happens when they are ready toget the berth and people are ready to be moved.

Question:IsIndia planning to protest the death of its citizen to the Government of Israel?

Navtej Sarna:At the moment we have just got news. This is about people in a hostileenvironment and of a person who has been killed as a result of the bombing. Thisis not exactly a diplomatic incident. It is a very, very unfortunate incidentand a person has lost his life. Let me not say anything now more than the factsof the case. If there is anything further on the lines that you have suggestedand mentioned in your question, I will get back to you.

Question:Ishe a glass factory worker?

Navtej Sarna:Yes.

Question:Will India hold government of Israel liable for...

Navtej Sarna:I think I have just answered that question to the best of my ability at themoment. I am reporting to you the fact of an unfortunate death of an Indiancitizen in a situation of war. Let us wait to see what happens in terms ofcompleting the formalities of his death. What you are talking of is largely apolitical question. I do not want to get into this question at the moment.

Question:Do you have any antecedents of this person who died?

Navtej Sarna:No, I don’t have any details. I just have the name. One must understand it isa very difficult situation on the ground. Indian citizens are spread all overthe country in thousands. Most of them are not even registered with the embassy.The communications are very difficult. We are trying to get whatever informationwe can at the moment. The embassy is completely besieged with the evacuationeffort.

Question:By when will the aircrafts reach India?

Navtej Sarna:Pretty soon. I don’t have the exact schedule but I am sure that Air India orMinistry of Civil Aviation will be able to give you this information. They werealready boarding in the afternoon.

Question:As far as India isconcerned, we do not have an extradition treaty with Kenya. How do we....

Navtej Sarna:I don’t even have a confirmation of the arrest that you are mentioning. I havechecked with our High Commission there and they have said that they will comeback to us. If we have confirmation, then we will get into the process of how toget a certain person back. I would not like to jump steps.