US seeks to get over diplomatic row with India

The United States has sought to put a lid on its intelligence row with India which led to mutual expulsion of diplomats, indicating that it will not affect the otherwise improving New Delhi-Washington relations.

''This was kind of a one-time incident, not at all a diplomatic war, we certainly would not like to see it escalate -- we don't believe it will,'' State Department spokesman Glyn Davies said in Washington on Tuesday.

He said ''our understanding is that New Delhi shares our wish to move on from here and put this behind us, and so that's what we are going to do.''

Davies made these observations when asked to comment on the possible impact of the diplomatic row on Indo-American relations.

In fact, he joined New Delhi in calling for a new effort to improve relations despite the dispute.

''India is the world's largest democracy, we are the world's most powerful, and it is important that India and the United States move on from here,'' Davies added.

The state department said last Saturday that it had ordered two Indian consular officers in San Francisco and Chicago to leave the country apparently in relation for the expulsion of a US official from New Delhi last month.

Earlier, in reply to a question, Davies said the US had informed the Indian government that ''we were expelling two individuals -- we are requesting they withdraw two individuals for activities incompatible with their consular status.''

''What I am not going to do, what I can not do is to get into the details of this,'' he added.

He said the details were in the ''private diplomatic correspondence'' between the United States and the government of India. ''We simply would like to put the matter to rest and to move on from here,'' he added.

A correspondent wanted to know whether the US was concerned over the fact that the US official had already left New Delhi while the Indian consulate officials were still in the United States.

Davies, in reply, said he was not certain ''what time frame, if any'' the US gave to the Indian government. ''I am not aware whether they are still here or not,'' he added.

When he insisted on knowing the details, Davies said, ''Well, you can ask the Indian government what their plans are as regards the two consular officials. I am simply not in a position to tell you what flight they are booked on or when they are leaving.''

To a question on possible differences between the two countries because of the dispute, Davies said, ''First of all, I'm not certain it was, you know. Kind of a sort of a scale, secondly, it is over. It is all over, and so, again, we're going to move on to other issues. We have a wide range of issues we deal with the Indian government on and we want to get back to those issues and not worry about this anymore.''

The chain of events started last month when India expelled the US diplomat alleging that he had established ''unauthorised'' contacts with Rattan Sehgal, head of the anti-espionage division of its Intelligence Bureau. Subsequently, Sehgal was asked to resign.

UNI