Balaji Amines denies charges of abetting Iranian WMD plan

Mumbai, Aug 5 (UNI) Balaji Amines Ltd, the India-based manufacturers of Amines and derivatives which was among the two Indian companies to face sanctions, today denied the US Government's charge of aiding and abetting the weapons of mass destruction programme in Iran.

Talking to UNI, Balaji Amines Commercial Director D Rama Reddy said, ''However, we have not yet received any formal communication regarding the issue. We have come to know everything through the media. We categorically decline all the charges levelled against us.'' ''Our products exported to Iran are used for manufacturing life-saving drugs. The three products -- namely Triethylamine, Diethyalmine and Dimethylacetamide -- exported to the two companies Zakaria-Tabriz Pharmaceuticals and Chemicals Co, and Antibiotic Sazi Iran Company, do not fall in the list of substances named under the Chemicals Weapons Connvention Schedule 1, 2, and 3. The substances mentioned in the list have to be exported with prior intimation to the government of India,'' Mr Reddy said.

Mr Reddy said External Affairs Ministry had asked the company to discontinue all business with Iran and the company in a faxed letter had given a detailed account of the nature of trade and also the products used for the manufacture of life-saving drugs, similar to the ones used by Ranbaxy and Aurobindo Pharma in India.

''We promised complete support to the Government of India in case the need arose. However, the current sanction by US is a complete surprise for us and is malicious in nature. They do not substantiate anything. It is basically a result of US tact of forcing others to terminate all business with Iran in their effort to corner them over the issue of development of weapons of mass destruction (WMD),'' he added. Mr Reddy.

The United States has imposed sanctions against seven foreign companies, including two each from India, Russia, North Korea and one from Cuba, for ''passing on sensitive technology to Iran that could be used to develop weapons of mass destruction''.

All the seven companies, including the two Indian companies, Balaji Amines Ltd and Prachi Poly Products Ltd, both chemical manufacturers will be barred from doing business with the US government or acquiring American high-technology items under the sanctions announced yesterday in the US government's official journal, the Federal Register.

No one from Prachi Poly Products Ltd was available for comment.

Prachi is a Mumbai-based leading producer of Phosphorus Pentasulphide, Diacetone Alcohol, Phosphorus Pentoxide and Food Grade Phosphoric Acid.

UNI VS VA VV1924