(a) whether India had conferred with a number of envoys of Arab and Central Asian countries, based in the Capital on the international developments following the terrorist attacks in America;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the extent to which they agreed with the Indian view point?
THE MINISTER OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI JASWANT SINGH)
(a) Yes, Sir. Minister of State for External Affairs, Shri Omar Abdullah had an interactive meeting with Ambassadors of Arab and Central Asian countries on 27th September, 2001.
(b) The Envoys were, inter alia, briefed about the nature and impact of September 11 terrorist attacks, the reach and interlinkages of international terrorism, and the problem of State sponsored cross-border terrorism that India faced.
(c) The Envoys expressed appreciation for the briefing. There is now widespread international recognition that there can be no justification for terrorism and it must be eradicated wherever it exists.