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Talbott's tacit endorsement of Indian nuclear policy brings cheer to MEA

Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi

American Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott's suggestion that Washington should lift sanctions on India even without its full compliance to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty is a victory for the country's diplomatic initiatives, holds the Ministry of External Affairs.

Earlier in the day, Talbott, addressing a conference at Stanford University, had pointed out that contrary to the view of certain US experts, cornering India on CTBT and missile programme was likely to backfire.

The lifting of sanctions would work positively for peace and stability in South Asia, he stressed.

Welcoming the view, senior MEA officials exuded cautious optimism. For the last six months, Indian diplomats had been trying to convince the P-5 countries that New Delhi simply could not comply on the CTBT. Neither could it afford to curb missile development in view of security perceptions.

At the same time, Indian diplomats had conveyed New Delhi's peaceful intentions by its unilateral moratorium on further nuclear tests and its offer to Pakistan of a no first-strike.

Talbott's statement assumes significance because the latest round of Indo-US dialogue on contentious issues will start later this month, officials pointed out. They said in the last round between Talbott and External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh, the latter had made clear that India's stand on CTBT and missile programme would not be diluted.

The officials also termed the recent talks between the prime minister's Principal Secretary Brajesh Mishra and British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook as 'positive'. Underlining that the discussion had culminated in agreeing on Indo-British defence ties, the officials hinted that Britain, like the US, was veering around to the Indian stand on the issue.

Incidentally, Cook also questioned the Vajpayee government's role in stopping theattacks on Christians and had received a 'satisfactory reply.'

Asked whether Talbott's statement would go down well with the P-5 countries, the MEA officials pointed out that both Russia and France are 'India-friendly' on the issue. And now that the US and Britain are veering around to India's point of view, the only 'dissenting customer' was China.

New Delhi, they added, anticipated further Chinese opposition on lifting sanctions -- but India was prepared for any eventuality.

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