India says no(for special protocol Status) to US request on Sarah Palin

[Vehl]

New Delhi refused American request to elevate Palin’s visit to ministerial status

In an important snub, India last week cold-shouldered Sarah Palin, former Republican US governor and possible contender for the 2012 presidential election, refusing a request for ‘adequate protocol’.

Palin was here for a conclave organised by a media group. The American Embassy in New Delhi sent a request to India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) basically for an elevation in the status of the visit.

The Americans wanted the MEA to treat Palin’s visit at par with a senior ministerial visit. This would have mandated the MEA to depute an official-in-waiting on Palin and arrange for other things like hooting escort vehicles and guards.

But, the MEA did not upgrade the protocol during Palin’s visit.

This was apparently meant to be a mark of protest against ‘discrimination and racial profiling’ of Indians at American airports.

Sources said the Indian government wanted to convey its anger and rancour against the recent incidents of frisking involving Indian envoys both at Washington and at the United Nations.

“Despite our attempts to sensitise the US administration about the consequences of such incidents, there seems no let up,” a senior MEA official said, referring to the December 2010 incident involving Hardip Puri, India’s Permanent Representative at the United Nations, where he was asked to remove his turban for security reasons.

Around the same time, Indian Ambassador to the US Meera Shankar was pulled out of an airport security line and patted down by an American security agent in Mississippi though she mentioned her diplomatic status.
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The snub in New Delhi was unlike the reception given to her in Israel, where she flew to from India. In India, Palin was not granted audience by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Even External Affairs Minister SM Krishna did not meet Palin.

But, during her two-day visit to Israel, Palin had dinner with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his official residence in Jerusalem.


more here
http://tehelka.com/story_main49.asp?filename=Ws240311POLITICS.asp

Well done I say!

Btw...why did the US government request a special Diplomatic status for Palin??? This makes no sense. The US government would give her ministerial-level status just so she can go there and Bash the government?? :crazy:

[marmar]

1. Perhaps India regards that particular strain of stupid as an infectious disease.

nt

[opihimoimoi]

2. I guess they PLAUGUED HER.....like the BLK DEATH.....in a nice way

without the screams.

[damntexdem]

3. Hey, if she'd just stay in either India or Israel, I'd say give her all the statuses she wants.

;-)

[Angry Dragon]

4. A very stupid request

I want to know who asked for it

[shraby]

5. Probably Palin

[lumpy]

7. The American embassy in New Delhi requested it.

Why ? What uninformed idiot is US ambassador ?

[alfredo]

9. The embassy worker might have been a fan of hers, or was

bullied into making the request.

[Vehl]

12. yeah,

I would not be surprised if there are a lot of hardcore repugs or fundies in the foreign service.

Remember the recent comment about Japanese people by the Official in charge of Japanese affairs? One would think how the hell did he even get to that post.

[alfredo]

16. Many bushies are still on the job if they are Civil Service.

Some "Burrowed in" by having their job changed to civil service so they won't be fired as many political appointees are when a new administration takes office. Remember some key bush appointees had their status changed so they could continue acting as protecters of the corporate elite once Obama took office.

[Vehl]

18. makes sense. tks. nt

[alfredo]

22. Bush put people in posts to discredit the agencies.

Remember, republicans are anti government.

[highplainsdem]

17. He isn't uninformed, but he's a moderate Democrat. He campaigned for Obama.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_J._Roemer

I'm wondering if someone else at the embassy made that request.

[lumpy]

19. I am not convinced that Obama is informed or any one else running

the show.

[jwirr]

6. Thank you India - she is not a representative in any legal way for

any of us.

[bvar22]

8. Why would Palin even be considered for "ministerial status"?

She is a private US citizen....nothing more.
She holds no elected or appointed office in the USA.

[Vehl]

11. yep

Ex heads of state are given such honours(like president Clinton) however it would be a disgrace to put a half-term quitter on the same level as him!

[Dappleganger]

13. What's with that? Don't they have a special quitter status just for her??

/s

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

15. The Church of St. Cariboopsie?

[northernlights]

23. first thing that occurred to me, too

:wtf: Who the eff is Palin to merit any such special treatment? What, are TPTB trying to annoint her in advance?

[Octafish]

10. Now THERE's a Democracy!

Thank you, India!

As for the American embassy: WTF?

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

14. India is on a strict diet. No garbage.

[Duke Newcombe]

20. Poor, poor Sarah...

Instead of using limos to get around India, perhaps she'll ride the train ;) :evilgrin:

[malaise]

21. Very good

Who the fuck is she anyway