Prime Minister of India - Dr. Manmohan Singh

NSA's Clarification on Media Interview

The National Security Adviser, Shri M.K. Narayanan, has clarified that references made in the course of an interview by him to Karan Thapar which was aired on 2 Feb 09, were answers to specific questions put by the interviewer. It is further clarified that the underlying theme of the reply to the question on Indo-US relations was the high expectation India had from the Obama Administration with a hope being expressed that it would be possible for India to make the new Administration appreciate India's positions and views on the region, including Kashmir. Similarly, the reference to the situation in Pakistan and the role of former President Musharraf were also made in the context of specific questions put by the interviewer. Selective quotes taken out context from the detailed answers have tended to give a distorted idea of what was actually said.