India Trip Will Rekindle Ties
Workers putting up flags of India and the US ahead of President Bill Clinton's arrival in New Delhi on Sunday. Photo Manish Swarup
ON THE eve of his departure for South Asia, US President Bill Clinton has said he would use the five-day trip to rekindle the relationship with India and to reduce tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad.
Clinton said he also hopes to minimise the likelihood of weapons proliferation and would support the restoration of democracy in Pakistan, adding that Washington will continue its cooperation with Islamabad against terrorism.
He told reporters in the Oval Office last night that despite India being the world's largest democracy, no US President has been there in 22 years.
"We have a lot of things we can do together. A lot of mutual interests. Obviously, what I hope to do first is to rekindle the relationship between the US and India," he said.
The President, who earlier described the subcontinent and the Line of Control in Kashmir as the most dangerous place in the world, said "I want to do what I can to reduce tensions in the Indian subcontinent, to reduce the likelihood of weapons proliferation and the likelihood of conflict."
Clinton said he, during his South Asia tour, will make clear the US view that a nuclear future is dangerous for India, Pakistan and the world.
"And I want to do what I can to support the restoration of democratic rule in Pakistan, and to continue our cooperation with them against terrorism," he added.
Clinton's delegation to India will also have John Podesta, chief of staff to the President, representatives Gary Ackerman, Nita Lowey, Jim McDermott, Frank Pallone, Jim Greenwood, Edward Royce, Sheila Jackson Lee and Janice Schakowsky.
National Security Adviser Samuel Berger, assistant to the President and deputy counsel to the President Bruce Lindsey, assistant to the President and Press Secretary Joseph Lockhart, Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott, Deputy US trade representative Susan Esserman and Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Karl Inderfurth will be accompanying him.
Others on the delegation are deputy national security adviser James Steinberg, senior military adviser to the Secretary of State Lt Gen Donald Kerrck, chief of staff to the aid administrator Barbara Ann Rudolph, special assistant to the President and senior rector for Near East and South Asia Bruce Riedel and senior trade adviser (Dept of Agriculture) Islam Diqui.
Meanwhile, chairman of the Asia and Pacific Subcommittee Douglas Bereuter expressed his surprise over non-inclusion of Congress members in Clinton's team to Pakistan.
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