ASSEMBLY POLL '98
COMMENTARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ELECTIONS '98
ARCHIVES

Jaswant's visit clarified Indian security concerns, says British MP

Patrick Hall, an MP from the ruling Labour Party in the United Kingdom said External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh's visit to his country had helped to clear the air about India's position on the nuclear issue.

However, Hall said possession of nuclear weapons posed a threat to all mankind and it was fallacious to argue that they could serve as a deterrent. He said the British government and the people there were disappointed when India conducted the nuclear test last year, though they did not go along with the United States in imposing sanctions, as that achieved nothing.

But Britain has ancient ties with India and cherishes this relationship despite minor irritants, Hall said, adding that there was better understanding today of the security concerns of India and other countries in this region.

Hall, who was in India on a fortnight-long visit to study the problems faced by potential emigrants to the United Kingdom, said his country had something common with India since both stood for total disarmament of all nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. They should, therefore, jointly work towards this goal, he said.

Hall, an MP from Bedford and Kempston, said a tenth of his constituents were from Asia, and most of them were from India. He also visited Jalandhar and some neighbouring villages since many of his Indian constituents were Punjabis.

He felt that the immigration system should be "fair, faster, and to the extent possible, more transparent". However, it had to be stringent enough to deal with those who attempted to misuse the law for their own ends, he said.

On his return, he would interact with his government to find ways and means of making the immigration laws more people-friendly so that those wanting to visit Britain face minimum hardships.

He also said he was in favour of more people-to-people exchange between the two countries as this would lead to greater understanding of each other's points of view on different issues.

Tell us what you think of this report