Posted on 12/10/2001 2:10:28 PM PST by super175
The Government of India's southern state of Karnataka has summoned senior officials of leading Chinese telecommunications firm Huawei Technologies to clarify reports that it built equipment for the Taleban.
"We have told company officials to be present before the Ministry of Information Technology by Thursday," said Karnataka's secretary of information technology, Vivek Kulkarni, amid reports that the firm helped the Taleban upgrade its telecommunications network.
Two Indian national dailies reported yesterday that India's security cabinet was likely to deport 185 engineers of the firm. Huawei opened its development centre in state capital Bangalore in February and has invested US$15 million (HK$117 million).
India's Economic Times said Huawei had brought in the 185 engineers from China in September on six-month visas.
"The company was completing the project under contract, which now turns out was for the Taleban," the report said.
It said India might further tighten foreign investment regulations.
Huawei Technologies was founded in Shenzhen in 1988 by Ren Zhengfei, a secretive former PLA officer who shuns publicity.
It was accused of violating UN sanctions against Iraq this year by providing fibre-optic communication cables for air defences.
A company spokesman said yesterday: "Huawei's global business is in compliance with UN standards and regulations. Huawei Technologies, India, has close co-operation with leading Indian IT companies and has completed several projects in co-operation with them."
Now isn't that interesting...
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