Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, leader of the opposition L K Advani and the Samata Party president have written a joint letter to the United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan, asking him to furnish details of the Volcker report.

They have particularly asked for documents relating to the non-contractual payments made to Natwar Singh, foreign minister in the United Progressive Alliance government and the Congress party.

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In the two-page letter, which was distributed to media persons after the meeting of the National Democratic Alliance leaders with President A P J Abdul Kalam, they have requested that the information should be made available before November 23, when the winter session of the parliament begins.

'We wish to make it quite clear that we have no intention of playing domestic politics in the international arena, and in this particular issue we are not concerned about the specific persons or entities involved.

This issue and the circumstances of the matter impigne on national interests and national honour and are, therefore, of immense concern to our country as a whole. Such actions, if true, bring shame to the entire nation, and therefore the facts unearthed must stand the test of proper scrutiny', the letter says.

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They requested Annan to make available copies of all the documents in its possession, which assisted it in arriving at the names of Natwar Singh and the Congress party.

'Let us know whether any prior intimation and opportunities were given to the concerned persons and entity in India, including evidence of the same, so that they could explain themselves.

Confirm to us with documentary evidence as to when, who made the authorisation, how and to whom to lift the allotment of oil made to the Congress party, India', they wrote in their letter.

Complete coverage: The Volcker report