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Kashmir, NPT won't mar Clinton visit

The most important objective of United States President Bill Clinton's visit to India is to make clear to the citizens of both countries that the two have embarked on a relation that will be sustained, US Ambassador to India Richard Celeste said on Monday.

"We intend to spell out in concrete fashion during the visit how the two countries intent to sustain this engagement," Celeste said during a press briefing at the US embassy in New Delhi.

"No single issue such as non-proliferation, South Asian tension, and Kashmir will determine the success or failure of this visit," he added.

"The US president," said ambassador Celeste, "is trying to understand India. He is eager to listen and engage on that basis."

Referring to South Asia, which the US administration has on various occasions called the "world's most dangerous place", he said: "We strongly supported the Lahore Declaration, believing that it provided a solid basis to move forward on all issues, including Kashmir. We are committed to re-engergising that Lahore spirit," said Celeste.

He categorically stated that the US had no intention of mediating in Kashmir and dismissed reports about the US seeking to appoint a special representative for Kashmir.

"We believe that the way to address the issue is for both the leadership in India and Pakistan to resolve the matter, taking into account the wishes of the Kashmiri people. The US is disinclined to send any special representative to Kashmir," he added.

Asked about nuclear non-proliferation and the economic sanctions slapped on India by the US, he said that most of the sanctions were caused by decisions taken by the Government of India on going nuclear.

"These sanctions will continue to be reviewed, and the subject is being dealt with in the context of the ongoing talks between Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh and US Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott," he said.

Signing the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, a demand made by Washington DC, was not a bilateral issue but a multilateral one, he continued.

"From the US perspective, we feel that it is in India's interest to sign, and that all of India's friends are interested in seeing how India handles this issue," said the ambassador.

However, he hastened to add, "We respect the fact that the CTBT is being dealt with in a democratic process by the government."

Celeste said there were a range of areas which the talks would cover such as economy, trade and investment, science and technology (specifically information technology and biotechnology), and energy and environment.

"We are keen to create a high-level science and technology forum with representatives from industry, academia, for future interaction," he said.

He said that accompanying the US president were the Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, her deputy Strobe Talbott, Commerce Secretary Daley, White House Chief of Staff John Podesta, Deputy Secretary of Security James Steinberg, and six members from Congress. Besides, a delegation of anywhere between 20 to 50 persons, along with another 50 to 100 Indian American business leaders, is likely to accompany Clinton.

The US envoy pointed out that the two countries have an ongoing conversation on how these two enthusiastic, exuberant democracies can work to strengthen democratic institutions worldwide.

Celeste reiterated his president's statement that the latter's visit to Islamabad did not mean the US was ratifying the military junta in Pakistan. "On the contrary, he is going to Pakistan to speak to them to return to democracy early," he said, but added hastily, "We have no expectation of any specific date being announced about likely elections being held in Pakistan."

He said the US president was visiting Pakistan since the people of the two countries had a long-term relation and the US had important interests at stake.

The ambassador pointed out that Indo-US trade was benefiting both nations. "Just recently we have seen a spate of US firms choosing India over other Asian countries to build their base here. For instance, Ford has made India's its hub for the Asian market and recently Heinz chose India over China for its operations," he said.

Celeste added that studies have shown that India benefited twice as much by trading with the US. "For every dollar earned by the US in trading with India, your country has earned two dollars!" he added.

The US envoy said that while the final details of the US president's were still being worked out, it was clear that the US Commerce Secretary Daley would have a few different engagements, primarily with business leaders.

He agreed that there were differences, but pointed out that they were being discussed in an atmosphere of candour and frankness. "Between friends, as you build a stronger relation, you should be candid. And that has been the case in the Singh-Talbott talks," he said.

Celeste pointed out that a five-day visit to just one country is among the longest undertaken by the US president. This, he continued, only reflected the growing importance the US attached to India.

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