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July 19, 2001
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Money > Business Headlines > Report July 19, 2001 |
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US to review economic embargo on India soonThe United States will very soon take a decision on lifting the sanctions that had been imposed on India after the 1998 Pokhran nuclear tests, top U S military official Gen Henry Shelton said in New Delhi on Thursday. ''The sanctions are being reviewed in Washington even as we speak and a decision will be made in a while,'' the chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff told reporters. Gen Shelton's visit, the first by such a high ranking US military officer, comes in the background of Washington's efforts to establish 'military to military' contact with India, which had suffered a setback after Pokhran. The Bush administration has been debating on removing the sanctions against India, as it believes these have been counter-productive. The general, who said he was here to discuss resumption of regular defence consultations with India, praised New Delhi and Islamabad's determination to continue the dialogue after the Agra summit. ''Resolution of conflicts in a peaceful manner is important,'' Gen Shelton said. During his meetings with Defence and External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh and National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra, Gen Shelton was briefed about India's position at the recent Vajpayee-Musharraf summit. He condemned international terrorism and stressed on exploiting the potential of the US and India to address the issue together. America's relation with Pakistan is on a bilateral basis and is independent of the ties between Washington and New Delhi, he said when asked to categorise U S-Pakistan ties. Gen Shilton also met the three service chiefs and discussed strategic and politico-military issues. Organisational concepts were also discussed. He said the United States and the world knew that India and Pakistan are nuclear capable. ''We are concerned about the transfer of nuclear technology. India and the U S have to see how to proceed towards non-proliferation.'' Gen Shelton said a dialogue was on with other countries on the National Missile Defence for an understanding on broader issues. America had successfully tested an anti-ballistic missile defence and various aspects of the technology were being looked into, he added. Talking to reporters outside South Block after his 30-minute meeting with Jaswant Singh, the Pentagon chief said it was a 'great interaction' and the two sides had stressed upon the common desire for more substantial relations. The detailed aspects of defence co-operation, defence management and military to military relations figured at the talks. ''My visit is an acknowledgement by the US of the need to reactivate and re-energise defence planning. We are building upon our engagements with India exclusive of our relations with China for peace and stability in the region''. Describing India as a natural ally of the US, Gen Shelton said the two largest democracies in the world had a lot of common interest towards peace, prosperity and security. His meeting with Mishra covered the whole gamut of regional concerns and defence relationship. While U S embassy officials in New Delhi said Gen Shelton's visit was not linked to the Indo-Pak summit, it is learnt that the Pentagon chief was given a detailed account of India's position at the just concluded talks with President Pervez Musharraf. Gen Shelton is Principal Military Adviser to the US President, Secretary of Defence and National Security Council. A highly decorated Vietnam veteran, the 59-year-old Gen Shelton was Commander-in-Chief of the US Special Operations Command before becoming chairman, Joints Chief of Staff in October, 1997. UNI YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO SEE:
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