NEWSLINKS
US EDITION
COLUMNISTS
DIARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ELECTION 99
ELECTIONS
ARCHIVES

Search Rediff

Upgrade India's policy profile: Pallone

C K Arora in Washington

US Democratic Congressman Frank Pallone has made out a strong case for upgrading India's profile in the United States' South Asia policy in view of the growing understanding between the two countries as manifested during President Bill Clinton's visit to the region last week.

In a speech in the House of Representatives, he said that the widely disparate reactions from India and Pakistan to the issues raised by the president should force US policy-makers to reassess their priorities in the region.

Pallone said that Clinton's trip sent a message to the US administration and state department that Indian nation can be relied upon to be an effective partner for the US.

He said Clinton's South Asia agenda envisaged promoting peace, stability, regional integration, democracy, trade, market reforms and the settlement of disputes through negotiation. ''India's elected leaders embraced this agenda. Pakistan's military dictatorship ignored it.

''I hope this lesson is not lost on the policy-makers in our state department and National Security Council,'' he said, recalling the military and intelligence links which were established between the US and Pakistan during the cold war.

''Though the world had changed, unfortunately, there were many who were still set in the old ways both here in Washington and Pakistan.''

Pallone, who accompanied Clinton, said one of the latter's top priorities in making the trip to South Asia was to call for a peaceful solution to the Kashmir issue. India's elected leaders had long made it clear that they sought the same thing.

Unfortunately, Pallone continued, ''Clinton did not hear the same message during his brief visit to Pakistan''.

He said Clinton stressed to Pakistani military ruler General Pervez Musharraf that there could be no military solution in Kashmir by incursions across the Line of Control. ''Our president called for restraint, respect for the Line of Control, rejection of violence and return to dialogue.

''In marked contrast to India's elected Prime Minister (Atal Bihari Vajpayee), Pakistan's military dictator did not echo the call for a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue. Instead, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, the general fell back on the old claim that Pakistan had nothing to do with sending forces across the Line of Control last year,'' Pallone said.

''On the eve of Clinton's visit, in what I would characterise as largely a public relations move, General Musharraf announced local elections between December of this year and August of 2001. But the general refused to provide a time-frame for national elections.''

The bottom line is that the general appears intent on holding on to power for the foreseeable future, Pallone said.

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report