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Take India seriously: Pallone

Democratic Congressman Frank Pallone has asked the Clinton administration to abandon its policy of viewing India and Pakistan together and treat the two South Asian nations separately on their individual merits.

He made this demand in his speech in the house of representatives yesterday in the wake of this week's decision by the administration to waive most of the Glenn Amendment sanctions on India, while retaining most of them in case of Pakistan.

''Unfortunately, there is often a tendency to lump India and Pakistan together, to see all developments in South Asia as a function of the conflicts between India and Pakistan,'' Pallone said. ''In fact, what we now see in South Asia are two great nations moving in completely different directions,'' he added.

''We must consider India, and take it seriously, on its own terms, as the world's largest democracy, the second most populous nation, an important regional player in Asia in its own right, a huge and growing market for American trade and investment, a potential partner on security issues and the fight against terrorism, and as a country with a great potential for cooperation in such areas as environmental protection, energy efficiency and infrastructure development,'' he added.

Under the president's diktat, Pakistan would be ineligible for loans from the Export-Import Bank, and unable to participate in the International Military Education and Training programme. It also means that the US-backed Overseas Private Investment Corporation and the Trade Development Agency would not be able to operate in Pakistan.

Pallone cited the statement from a White House National Security Council spokesman which stated that ''the different treatment of the two countries reflects the reality that things have changed for the worse in Pakistan'' and that ''there can be no business as usual with Pakistan until an elected government is restored.''

''I hope that our government will stick with that policy,'' Pallone said. ''More important, I would urge the administration not to use the prospect of reopening military assistance to Pakistan as an inducement to the military coup leaders,'' he added.

UNI

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