The Central government on Tuesday rubbished media reports, which suggested that United States President George W Bush had 'threatened' Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with regard to voting for Venezuela in the elections for non-permanent members of UN Security Council.
"When two leaders speak to each other, they do not threaten each other," External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said while commenting on the news report, which said that Bush had issued the threat, telling India not to vote for Venezuela in the elections for non-permanent members of UNSC, when he called up Dr Singh on Monday evening.
Sarna said the contents of the discussion between Dr Singh and Bush have already been made available. Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma said: "Am I expected to comment on speculative reports on matters, which are related to foreign policy decisions? I will not make any comment," he said.
The Communist Party of India has said that India should not succumb to 'any intimidation' by the US and 'should take independent decisions as it is a sovereign country.' The government should tell the US to 'mind its own business,' CPI national secretary D Raja told PTI while commenting on the news report.
