Experts Pleased With 2010 Delhi Games Security Plan

By P. Vijian

NEW DELHI, Sept 24 (Bernama) -- Several participating nations are so far satisfied with India's security arrangement for the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games.

Delegates from Commonwealth countries attended a two-day international security conference ahead of the games where Indian organisers managed to convince them of its capability to host the event and fend off any security threat.

"As of now there is no specific threat to the Commonwealth Games, or to India or to any (participating) countries. By and large, security experts are impressed with security and traffic arrangements," India's home secretary G. K. Pillai told the media Thursday.

India's Home Ministry formed the International Security Liaison Group to coordinate security arrangements, as several participating nations pressured the country to shape up its security for athletes and officials.

"Not a single country said they were not satisfied with our arrangement. Overall they are satisfied with our presentation but they want us to manage the perception of threats being played up in the media," added Pillai.

He said 76 delegates from 28 countries, mostly security professionals, who attended the meeting in Delhi, also assured India that they would share any information on any sort of threat to the Commonwealth Games, which is being held in the Asian region for the second time.

Malaysia hosted the games in 1998.