1. We have seen reports in prominent UAE daily newspapers about a press conference held at the Ministry of Interior on May 9, 2005 on the occasion of signing of an MoU between the UAE Interior Ministry and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on eliminating the pernicious practice of using under-aged children as camel jockeys. While we fully support the efforts of the UAE authorities towards eradicating such abhorrent practices, we are constrained to reject the references to India that are being made in this context. The UAE spokesman at the above-mentioned press conference has been quoted in the media as referring to India as a "main culprit" in exporting child camel jockeys to the UAE and as "trafficking under-aged camel jockeys" and as a "worst camel-jockey offender". Such an imputation is completely unfounded and downright absurd. Neither the Embassy of India nor the Consulate General of India in Dubai has had any information about Indian children being abused as camel jockeys in UAE and, moreover, no such case has been brought to our notice by the local authorities in spite of specific requests for any information that they may have on this issue.

2. As per Embassy records, the last case involving an Indian child that came to its notice was in May 1997, when a 11-year old child who accompanied his father to the UAE was used as a camel jockey by his UAE sponsor. The boy was subsequently repatriated after the Embassy's intervention and since then no further case has come to our notice. The Government of India itself remains vigilant on this matter and committed to putting an end to such abuse. It is extremely unfortunate that India's name is being dragged repeatedly into the media on this matter quoting UAE authorities.

3. UAE is stated in this media report as having imposed the requirement that children of certain nationalities should carry separate passports. It may be pointed out that Government of India has been mandatorily issuing separate passports to its citizens, including minors and infants, since 1997.

4. We hope that this clarifies the matter and such ill-founded attempts to drag India's name into this matter cease.