By IANS,
Perth : India has pressed Australia to withdraw travel advisory that uses “disproportionate” language warning of terror attacks during the festive season. Vice President Hamid Ansari has said he will take up the issue with Australian prime minister, if needed.
External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna, who is here to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) Foreign Ministers Meeting, raised the issue of travel advisory with his Australian counterpart Kevin Rudd Wednesday.
“The language in the advisory is rather disproportionate and contrary to the current trend of tourism to India,” Krishna told Rudd.
Rudd said such advisories were “routine”, adding that “we do not have any information of any specific threat to share with India”.
Speaking to accompanying journalists aboard his special aircraft, Ansari, who is representing India at the CHOGM, said the foreign minister had already taken up the matter with his counterpart.
When asked whether he will raise the issue with with Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Ansari said that he would “take up the issue with the Australian PM if required”.
Ansari arrived here Thursday to participate in the two-day summit of ex-British colonies.
Krishna is expected to raise the issue with his counterparts from Canada and New Zealand which have also issued travel advisories warning of possible terror attacks in India during the festive season.
Ahead of Ansari’s visit to Perth, Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai has said that these advisories were “disproportionate”.
“We have conveyed to them that the language of these advisories is disproportionate. We will continue to impress upon them that the language should be proportionate and moderate,” Mathai, who is accompmaying Ansari to Australia, said in New Delhi Tuesday.
Five countries, including the US, Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, have issued advisories against travel to India during the festive season.