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Move to bar Indian scientists from visiting US defeated

The US House of Representatives last night defeated a provision that would have imposed a two-year moratorium on foreign visitors from ''sensitive'' countries -- including India -- to the US Energy Department's national laboratories.

Democratic Congressman Frank Pallone spoke on the floor of the house in opposition to the amendment to the Defence Authorisation Act for fiscal year 2000, sponsored by Congressman Jim Ryun. The Ryun amendment was defeated by a vote of 159-266.

Pallone and other opponents of the amendment noted that another provision in the bill already would impose a 90-day moratorium.

Pallone said: ''This amendment could have the potentially destructive effect of cutting off important exchanges for two years between American scientists and their counterparts from other countries. The amendment attempts to respond to compromises to our national security with regard to China -- obviously a worthy goal. But it goes much too far extending the moratorium for two years instead of the 90 days specified in the Cox-Dicks amendment.''

''The stated reason for putting India on the list is that it has not yet signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty,'' Pallone said adding, ''but it needs to be made clear that India's nuclear programme is an indigenous one, developed by India's own scientists,'' he added.

He said export controls on super- computers and other dual-use technology had been in effect against India for years, forcing India to develop its own highly advanced R&D infrastructure.

''There is no evidence, or even suggestions, that India has been involved in the kind of espionage activities that have been documented with regard to China. We must be careful not to cut off scientific ecchanges for as long as two years,'' he added.

Pallone, who last month voiced his opposition to similar legislation introduced in the senate, stressed that it was not fair to use current concerns over China as a pretext for disrupting scientific cooperation with India and other friendly nations.

UNI

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