July 12, 2003	Saturday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 11, 1424

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BERLIN, July 11: Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder on Friday said that Germany would be unable to send troops to Iraq to take part in a multinational peacekeeping mission, despite a US request for it to play a role.

“We have made it clear to our American friends that we do not think it is possible to send German troops to Iraq,” he said, according to a transcript of a television interview to be broadcast later Friday.

Government spokesman Bela Anda had earlier set strict conditions for German participation in such a mission but appeared to leave the door open for Berlin to join such a force.

Berlin wants a “request (for troops) from a legitimate Iraqi interim administration and a clear UN mandate” before it even discusses the issue, Anda had told reporters.

Schroeder said in the interview that Germany had told Washington that its military resources were strapped with its contributions to peacekeeping and security missions in Afghanistan, the Balkans and the Horn of Africa.

“We also made clear what we are doing in the fight against international terrorism,” Schroeder said.

INDIAN ARMY: The Indian army has told the government that it would prefer to send around 17,000 troops to Iraq under the UN flag, but was prepared to go ahead even if they served under a different command, the Hindu daily said on Friday.

The army also wants the troops to be backed by at least four naval motorboats as well as air force transport planes and helicopters to give more firepower options in case of com-bat.

It wants the Indian deployment to take charge of an entire sector, such as northern Iraq.

New Delhi has been considering deployment of troops to Iraq following a request by Washington, but has been unable to take a decision due to political opposition.—AFP