US reassures India of long-term ties

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US reassures India of long-term ties

 

>From L K Sharma

DH News Service

WASHINGTON, Sept 25

 

 

INDIA has conveyed to the US that it would fully appreciate its

renewed co-operation with Pakistan as long as this did not

hinder the anti-terrorism campaign in Kashmir. India's National

Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra was reassured here that the US

took a broader view of the menace of terrorism which had hit the

World Trade Centre. The urgent requirements of the war against

terrorism would not change the long-term priorities of the US in

the South Asian region.

 

On the same day, Mr Marc Grossman, undersecretary of state for

political affairs, said the US policy on Kashmir had not

changed.Mr Mishra had wide-ranging talks in Washington and

he was given a surprise by Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld

who dropped in during his meeting with his deputy, Paul

Wolfowitz. The talks between Mr Mishra and Ms Condoleeza

Rice, national security adviser to the president, focused on

counter-terrorism.

 

Blacklist expansion likely

New Delhi has noted with some disappointment that the first list

of candidates whose assets have been frozen does not include,

Jaish-e-Mohammed (JEM) and Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT). These

have been identified by the US administration itself as terrorist

organisations responsible for killing civilians. Of course,

President Bush said that more names would follow.

The political dimension of the Indo-US relations was discussed

with Mr Richard Armitage, deputy secretary of state, who

emerged as a friend of India in the new administration. The

implications of the removal of sanctions and the possible

expansion in commercial co-operation was discussed between

Mr Mishra and US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick.

The Bush administration is considering the lifting of other

sanctions against Pakistan activated under the US law when

Gen Pervez Musharraf assumed power in a military coup.

Several US Congressmen, who normally cherish democracy,

have suddenly come to favour this move.

 

Spares for Pak jets soon

Spare parts for American warplanes in Pakistan may have

already been packed by the company here. This has become

possible following the lifting of the nuclear-related sanctions

against Pakistan.

Similar sanctions against India have also been lifted but it

remains to be seen how far the US would be prepared go with

regard to transfer of technologies to India. Mr Mishra also met

key Congress leaders some of whom had been telling the Bush

administration to waive sanctions against India long before the

terrorists attacks that hastened the final decision and led to a

new equation between the US and Pakistan.

Before coming to Washington, Mr Mishra was in New York

having meetings at the United Nations. The UN has acquired a

new significance in Washington's current scheme of things.

 

Earlier tilt unlikely

While India's misgivings about terrorism in Kashmir not figuring

on the US radar may be justified, Washington, in its own interest,

is unlikely to go back to the days of a tilt towards Pakistan. The

reasons which brought India and the US closer have not melted

away, even though in the current situation, the administration

has to keep applauding Gen Musharraf for his "brave decision."

Islamabad is still keeping in touch with the Taliban regime and

acting as the eyes and ears of Washington