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India for re-examination of US South Asia policy

T V Parasuram in Washington

India has urged the United States to re-examine its South Asia policy in the wake of a sea change in relations between the two countries as a result of President Bill Clinton's and Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's visit to each other's country.

"New India-US relations calls for a re-examination of US South Asia policy," External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh said at a lunch hosted by former American Secretary of State George Shultz on Thursday. He praised Clinton for his 'superior statesmanship and ability and courage to reach out to India and discover a new bond'.

Singh said there was tremendous potential for co-operation between India and the US in the economic field and various other areas such as human resources and information technology. There was also potential for co-operation on combating terrorism, he said.

Enhanced economic ties between the two countries formed an essential component of bilateral relations, Singh said. Given the global situation today, the two nations have to involve themselves together, he said. "Whether it is global security or co-operation in the field of energy or science and technology, there is need for continuity, stability and confidence," Singh said, adding healthy India-US relations could go a long way in ensuring future global welfare.

The scope of relations between the two countries went beyond bilateral parameters, Singh said recalling Clinton's statement that India and the United States are not only natural allies but have common enemies.

He said the new spirit of co-operation was evident from the number of agreements signed on terrorism, human resources, environment and information technology.

On Kashmir, Singh said it is an issue that relates to Jammu and Kashmir and not just to the Kashmir valley and added the main obstacles in finding a solution is trans-border terrorism.

He said religion is not the core issue in the state, especially since there are pockets with strong Muslim concentrations in different regions and districts of India.

Moreover, India has the second largest Muslim population after Indonesia, the external affairs minister said.

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