NEW DELHI, Oct 27: Leading regional and international strategists began a two-day discussion here on Thursday over the growing presence of Nato in Asia amid warnings by Indian experts that the United States was getting too well entrenched in South Asia for everyone’s comfort.
Former Indian prime minister Inder Kumar Gujral cautioned foreign strategists, including representatives from Russia, China and Pakistan, against joining the Nato bandwagon which might not hesitate in targeting India too if it suited its interest.
Since its inception Nato has been shifting its target and the perceived challenges from Germany, to Afghanistan, to Iraq and now to Iran and Syria, Mr. Gujral told an international conference on “Emerging Nato: challenges for Asia and Europe”.
Without naming Afghanistan or the recent Nato offer to join the rescue operations in earthquake-hit Pakistan, Mr Gujral observed that Nato had reached the borders of India. He said even the Russians were now helpless, with many of their alliance partners and some of its former states willing to join the US-led alliance.
The economy of the target country played a major role in shaping the policies of Nato, Mr Gujral said. He recalled what former US secretary of state James Baker had told him once referring to deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein: “The demon is sitting on oil and we cannot tolerate that.”
Mr Gujral reminded the audience of what former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein told him just after the Iraq war had begun: “You suffered earlier because you were rich in cotton. Now we are suffering because we are rich in oil”.
Talking about Nato strategies, Mr Gujral suggested that China was built up by the Western alliance as a foil to the Soviet Union.
He asked the conference to study in detail Nato strategies and especially in the region, vis-à-vis China. He said this aspect should not be looked at casually as it is of prime importance to India.
Former Indian foreign secretary Shashank praised what, he said, were positive aspects of Nato.
After the 9/11 attacks on the United States, it has been playing a wider role against terrorism and elsewhere, like the relief operations in Azad Kashmir.
Mr R.K. Mishra, chairman, Observer Research Foundation, host of the conference noted that Nato, which was formed primarily to fight Warsaw Pact countries during Cold War days, had grown from 15 members to 25 members after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
