Clinton waives sanctions on India

WASHINGTON, Oct 28 (Reuters) — President Bill Clinton yesterday waived economic sanctions imposed on India after its May 1998 nuclear tests but kept all but two penalties against Pakistan because a military government had taken power there.

The tit-for-tat nuclear tests by India and Pakistan automatically triggered the US sanctions and meant American banks could not lend to the two governments.

Mr Clinton’s action continued a waiver of the post-nuclear testing sanctions imposed on India, allowing US commercial bank lending to continue, and loans by the Export-Import Bank.

Mr Mike Hammer, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council, said Mr Clinton decided for now to waive only two economic sanctions on Pakistan — the ban on US commercial lending and on agricultural credit guarantees.

That left Pakistan ineligible for loans from the Export-Import Bank, and unable to participate in an international military education and training programme. It also meant the US-backed Overseas Private Investment Corp, and the trade development agency would not be able to operate in Pakistan.

India recently held elections, while on October 12 in Pakistan, the elected government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was overthrown in a military coup.

"The different treatment of the two countries reflects the reality that things have changed for the worse in Pakistan. But we hope that Pakistan will return to democracy soon,’’ said Mr Hammer.

"Basically, we have made clear from the start that there can be no business as usual with Pakistan until an elected government is restored. So the president’s decision is a reflection of our determination to see a democratically elected government restored in Pakistan," Mr Hammer said.

NEW DELHI (PTI): India on Thursday said any move by the US to lift sanctions against it was "positive" but maintained there was no change in its consistent position that such unilateral curbs were counter-productive.

New Delhi’s position was reiterated by a foreign office official when the Government’s reaction was sought on US President Bill Clinton’s decision to waive certain sanctions against India and Pakistan, allowing development and military-training programmes to continue.

"India’s position has been consistent. We regard such unilateral measures (sanctions) as counter-productive. Any move in the direction of lifting sanctions is positive,’’ the official said.

The official said New Delhi was examining details of the US bill which empowered Mr Clinton to waive economic curbs imposed on India and Pakistan, including those slapped under the Glenn Amendment, and the Pressler Amendment barring arms sale to Islamabad.

"We are examining the details of the bill. We want to ascertain all the areas that will be affected,’’ the official said in response to a question.

Meanwhile, in Washington US officials said that no date has yet been fixed for President Bill Clinton’s visit to India, thus clarifying a report suggesting that he will be in New Delhi in February next year.

The report was attributed to Deputy US Trade Representative (USTR) Susan Esserman who is visiting India next week on an official assignment.

Later, a USTR spokesperson said Ms Esserman had been misquoted about the timing of the President’s visit. The USTR would not comment on the trip before the official announcement by the White House, the spokesperson added.

The issue also came up at the White House press briefing and its spokesman Joe Lockhart said, "I have no travel announcements to make for next year."

US panel for India as strategic ally

WASHINGTON, Oct 28 (PTI, UNI) — In one of the most far-reaching resolutions ever adopted in an attempt to transform Indo-US relations, the US House of Representatives Asia-Pacific Sub-Committee has unanimously urged President Bill Clinton to “broaden our special relationship with India into a strategic partnership.”

The resolution moved yesterday by Democratic Congressman Gary Ackerman, Co-Chairman of the House India Caucus, will now be placed before the full International Relations Committee and later the full House and Senate for approval.

The resolution, co-sponsored by Democrats Sam Gejdenson and Tom Lantos, expressed “Strong support of Congress for the recently concluded polls in India and urged the President to travel to India....And broaden our special relationship with India into a strategic partnership.”

The resolution also expressed dismay over the recent turn of events in Pakistan, where the military overthrew the democratically-elected government of Premier Nawaz Sharif on October 12 and assumed the reins of power, and urged an immediate return to democracy.

Introducing the resolution, Mr Ackerman told the Sub-committee headed by Douglas Bereuter “It is high time we seriously begin to graduate from mere platitudes to some tangible policy changes towards India.”

“I believe,” said Mr Ackerman, “it is time to re-examine our basic premise regarding US policy in South Asia. We should abandon old paradigms and cold war hang-ups and see that India, a democracy, is our natural ally in the region.” It urged the President to travel to India as it “continues to be a shining example of democracy for all of Asia to follow.”

It congratulated Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on his re-election.Speaking on his resolution, Mr Ackerman said, “The contrasting events in India and Pakistan over a single 24 hour period speak eloquently about the new challenges and opportunities that we face in South Asia. In India, we have seen hundreds of millions of voters enthusiastically exercise their votes in a free and fair election.”

“It is high time we seriously begin to recognise this fact and graduate from mere platitudes to some tangible policy changes toward India,” he added.The panel also urged US President Bill Clinton against using his newly acquired powers to waive nuclear-related sanctions “to allow the sale of any military equipment or services” to Pakistan “until a civilian, democratically-elected government is returned to power” there.

The resolution, passed by a voice vote at the Asia Pacific panel of the international relations committee, “expressed” concern at the military coup and called for “rapid” restoration of the civilian rule in the country.It, however, deleted the provision, which asked the President “not to consider reinstatement of Pakistan’s eligibility for international military education and training.”

Republican Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, was the only member who voted against the deletion.The resolution was moved by Democratic Congressman Sam Gejdenson. His party colleagues Gary Ackerman and Tom Lantos were its co-sponsors.Earlier, Mr Gejdenson said the cause of democracy in Pakistan had suffered a mortal wound.

It was a sad irony that the President signed a Bill a couple of days ago, which gave him the authority to waive sanctions against India and Pakistan and “we are today (on Wednesday) marking up a resolution asking him to not waive at least the military aspect of these sanctions against Pakistan,” he added.