US sanctions on 51 entities go

WASHINGTON, Dec 17 (PTI) — The USA today announced lifting of post-Pokhran sanctions on 51 Indian entities to more tightly focus the embargoes on those enterprises "more directly involved in proliferation activities of concern" but made no such exceptions in case of Pakistan.

However, the USA will continue its ban on dual-use item exports to entities in India and Pakistan, US Commerce Assistant Secretary for Export Administration R. Roger Majak said while announcing the lifting of sanctions on 51 Indian entities from the list of 200.

These enterprises were banned following detonations of nuclear explosive devices by India and Pakistan in 1998.

"The US policy of denial for dual-use items controlled for nuclear and missile technology reasons to all Indian and Pakistani entities remains unchanged," he said in a release.

The action, only on the Indian list, is based on a consensus decision by the administration to "more tightly focus the sanctions on those Indian entities most directly involved in proliferation activities of concern," the department told PTI.

Among the entities which will no longer face US sanctions — except for dual-use items — are the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Ambarnath Machine Tool Prototype Factory, Aruvankadu Cordite Factory, Avadi Heavy Vehicle Factory, two of Bharat Heavy Electrical's factories, Cossipore Gun and Shell Factory, and others, the department said in a release.

The changes, it said, would take effect after a rule was published in the federal register.

The removal of the entities would make it easier for them to obtain US goods and technology — especially non-sensitive products that ordinarily do not require an export licence for India.

"Recent congressional action" the release noted, "supports today's decision."

"The Fiscal Year 2000 Defence Appropriations Act includes language that it is the sense of Congress that the list of nearly 300 sanctioned Indian and Pakistani entities is too broad and requires refinement. The Act also states that it is the sense of Congress that exports only of items that make material contributions to weapons of mass destruction and missile programme should be restricted, it said.

Today's action, the department stressed, "involves no changes in the items subject to sanctions — which includes many routine items — for entities remaining on the list. The administration will continue to review both the list of sanctioned entities and products and make additional changes.

There are also 100 Pakistani entities in the US sanctions list.

NEW DELHI: India on Friday described USA’s decision to drop 51 entities from the sanctions imposed after the Pokhran nuclear tests in 1998, as a step in the right direction.

In response to a question, an External Affairs Ministry spokesman said, “it is our expectation that it will lead to the complete abolition of restrictive list”.

We had welcomed the US Congress, advice that the entity list should be reviewed.

The USA had imposed sanctions on 204 entities.

The spokesman said the Indian Government had always maintained that unilateral restrictive measures against India were unjustified and counter productive.