Natwar says Volcker should give proof

New Delhi: Unfazed by the gathering political storm over his being named in a UN probe report on Iraqi pay-offs, External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh today rejected the demand for his resignation and questioned the credibility of the findings of the Volcker Committee.

The report by the former Federal Reserve chairman alleged 1.8 billion dollars in bribes and illegal surcharges were paid to the regime of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein.

The minister also made it clear that he has the full support of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

Natwar Singh stated that Paul Volcker should have had the "courtesy" to send him a notice.

The minister said allegations in the report were an attempt to malign one of the most famous, oldest, democratic and secular parties in the world.

When questioned about his relationship with Andleep Sehgal who owns Hamdan Exports, a firm on whose behalf Swiss company Masefield AG is reported to have lifted oil barrels under allotments to Congress, Natwar Singh said that Sehgal was married to a relative?s daughter.

He stated that he had never even heard of Masefield AG till he read about the scandal in the newspaper.

He also added that his son (Jagat Singh) had not gone to Iraq with Sehgal but had gone to meet his wife?s father who happens to be a Jordanian.

Natwar went on to say that Paul Volcker should produce the documents on which his report and accusations are based.

About the Iraq trip made by Aneil Mathrani, India's envoy to Croatia, Singh said that Mathrani was the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the Ministry of External Affairs and was a part of the delegation that went to Iraq in 2001.

The minister however made his disagreement with the Congress over the move to send a legal notice to Volcker and to the UN known.

He said that the Congress should have instead requested the Secretary General of the United Nations to share all the information and the documents in the case with India.

Singh also said that he had spoken to India's permanent representative at the UN, Nirupam Sen, and requested him to meet Volcker and find out the truth.