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US apologises for frisking Kalam in New York
Sunday November 13, 2011 05:29:06 PM,
IANS
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New Delhi: Former
Indian president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was frisked by the John F.
Kennedy airport authorities in New York Sep 29, resulting in a
strong Indian protest and a subsequent US apology for the breach
of protocol.
Eighty-year-old Kalam, who was in the US to attend a series of
events, was returning home by an Air India flight when the airport
authorities boarded the aircraft to frisk the former Indian
president, who had already occupied his seat.
The Air India crew immediately protested the US Transportation
Security Administration's action. However, Kalam did not object
and subjected himself to the security check, officials said.
External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna later asked Indian
Ambassador Nirupama Rao to raise the issue at the highest level in
the US administration, saying it was "unacceptable" to India and
that New Delhi may reciprocate the treatment to American
dignitaries.
Following the protest, the US government "deeply" regretted the
incident and conveyed its "utmost respect" for Kalam.
"The United States government has the utmost respect for former
Indian president Abdul Kalam. We deeply regret the inconvenience
that resulted for him as a result of a Sep 29 incident involving
the security screening at John F. Kennedy airport in New York,"
the Obama administration said in its apology.
Subsequently, charge d'affaires of the US Mission in India
Ambassador Peter Burleigh personally hand-delivered a letter from
the US Transportation Security Administration to former president
Kalam, and a similar letter was delivered to the Indian
government.
In these letters, the US government extended its apology that
appropriate procedures for expedited screening of dignitaries had
not been followed. "We are actively working to prevent similar
incidents in the future from occurring," it said.
Noting that the US "deeply values and appreciates" its "strong
relationship and partnership" with India, the Obama administration
said: "We are confident that despite this regrettable incident, we
will continue working closely with India in the many areas of our
strategic partnership."
This is the second incident of frisking of Kalam by American
authorities. On April 21, 2009, the former president was boarding
a Continental Airways plane at the Delhi airport when the airline
authorities frisked him, clearly breaching diplomatic protocol.
A protest from India and its parliament led to the airlines and
the US government apologising to Kalam later.
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