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US state dept divided over lifting of sanctions on India

The US State Department is deeply divided over lifting of sanctions against India and Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage would try to seek an assurance from New Delhi On Friday on limiting its nuclear weapons development and deployment, Washington Times reported on Thursday.

Armitage, during his talks with Indian officials in New Delhi "will try to win some sort of pledge from Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on limiting nuclear weapons development and deployment that could appease the non-proliferation advocates within the US Government," the daily quoting sources said.

It said policy makers in the state department were deeply split between those who want to lift sanctions against India to clear the way for a new strategic alliance with it as a counter to China, and those who fear that such action would send a dangerous signal to potential nuclear-weapons states.

The Times said non-proliferation bureau of the State Department strongly opposes lifting the sanctions against India for fear of undermining US efforts for implementation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty by other nations such as Ukraine and South Africa and countries that have given up their nuclear weapons programmes.

"On the other hand," the paper quoted a source at the State Department as saying, "sanctions did not get a change of behaviour and we need to upgrade relations with India."

"As US-China relations deteriorate," said the paper, "some American officials see India as a foil to Chinese power in Asia."

The paper notes that US-Indian military ties have quietly resumed but American sales of not only weapons but even nuclear power technology are still blocked.

Despite the ban imposed on military relations as part of the sanctions, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Henry H Shelton wil visit India and a Pentagon official said, "the General will talk (in New Delhi) about military-to-military relationships."

An official said discussions about ending sanctions imposed on India and Pakistan after their nuclear tests in 1998 depend upon an ongoing review of South Asia at the National Security Council.

"A powerful pro-India lobby in Congress, bolstered by contributions from Indian-American high-tech millionaires, is pushing to waive sanctions on India," it quoted a source in the office of Senator Sam Brownback, Chairman of the Foreign Relations subcommittee on South Asia and the Near East, as saying.

"I have been making the case for the last two years that it is time to lift sanctions on India, and am optimistic that this administration will finally do so," Brownback said.

"While the situation with Pakistan is different, it is logical to lift them on Pakistan as well," he told the paper.

However, the paper said "The move to lift sanctions and tighten Indian-US military and trade ties comes as US affection for Pakistan, a Cold War ally, has been diluted by the military coup in Islamabad and that nation's growing tolerance of the Afghan Taliban and domestic militant Islamic groups attacking India in Kashmir and other targets."

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