Talmiz Ahmad is a former Indian ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Oman and the UAE. In an interview with Aditi Phadnis, he says the disequilibrium in Iraq will continue to prevail. Ahmad also says there are indications that the US is now anxious to avoid intervening militarily in West Asia, and that this is the appropriate moment for Asia to assume responsibility for its own security. Edited excerpts:
'The background for the Saudi-Pakistan agreement is the fact that the regional security order has collapsed due to the Israeli attack on Doha.' 'The Americans have largely abandoned their security guarantee for West Asia and the region has no choice but to look at alternatives.'
Oil and Natural Gas Corporation ONGC will tie-up with Norway's state-owned oil firm Norsk Hydro to jointly explore for oil and gas in the Gulf region.
Of the $1.4 trillion investment opportunities, almost $90 billion each is proposed in petrochemical projects and power generation, $88 billion in water desalination plants and $50 billion in natural gas-related projects.
The Kazakhstan government has assured India that it will consider allowing ONGC Videsh Ltd to acquire a share in the assets of Canadian oil company Petrokazakhstan, a top government official said.
The Indian Embassy in the United Arab Emirates is working out a comprehensive scheme, including setting up of a grievance redressal mechanism.
Very few know of his scintillating mind, the outpouring of fresh ideas, the attention to detail in every endeavour, the extraordinary administrative and organisational skills, and a limitless stamina and energy with which he pursues every interest and commitment, notes Ambassador Talmiz Ahmad.
The two warships have docked at a UAE port as part of a rare Gulf tour to foster maritime goodwill with the Arab nations.
'But unlike Bond who killed an individual, Israel is killing a nation.'
...with extravagant claims in both the eastern and western sectors, observes Ambassador Talmiz Ahmad, as India is fixated on asserting its border claims based on the McMahon Line.
Prime Minister Modi is visiting Palestine, UAE and Oman from February 9 to February 12.
'The success of the country's economic policies is affirmed by receipt of FDI of $15 billion last year, the highest in the Asia-Pacific after China and India, and well ahead of Indonesia, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand,' notes Ambassador Talmiz Ahmad.
'There is a view that there is a Pakistan angle to this.' 'Pakistan has a large presence in Qatar and would want India to be blacklisted.'
'Israel has received an extremely hard and rude reminder that it cannot go ahead and talk of normalisation of relations with other Arab countries without addressing the issues pertaining to Palestine.'
'The attacks made clear to all the Gulf States that Pakistan was the nursery and sanctuary of extremist violence and that this violence threatened all the countries in the region.'
'Prime Minister Narendra Modiji must personally intervene in the matter to make it clear to his officials and the rank-and-file that communal abuse should now stop'
The Saudi-Pakistan nuclear weapons cooperation is meant to sound alarm bells in Washington, reminding the Obama administration that its overtures to Iran would have serious negative consequences in terms of its ties with its closest allies in the region, says Ambassador Talmiz Ahmad. Exclusive to Rediff.com
'The Indian side has realised that not talking to Pakistan has not served any useful purpose.'
Its promise has fallen short before the onslaught of the votaries of the old order and ruthless extremist forces, notes Talmiz Ahmad.
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