Author: J.M. SHENOY
Publication: Rediff on Net (US,
Edition)
Date: February 13, 2001
The problems that America has with
China should hasten the creation of a closer relationship with India, a
powerful Republican senator said as he made a passionate plea for "across-the-board"
close relations between New Delhi and Washington.
Senator Sam Brownback (R-Kansas),
the chairman of the Senate sub-committee on Near Eastern and South Asia
Affairs, also urged the new administration to reverse Clinton Administration's
position on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and India, remove all remaining
economic sanctions on India, step up defense and security cooperation,
and increase technical links.
"Our nations have much to offer
each other," Brownback said in a speech at the Brookings Institution in
Washington on February 13. "India sees a threat from China, a nuclear nation
with which it has fought war and which has spread its influence on all
of India's borders-better relations with the U.S. are in India's interests."
"The US also has problems with China
and clearly a closer relations with India would provide a strategic counterbalance
in South Asia and help maintain regional stability," he added.
Among the issues he addressed was
H-1B visas. "The Indian American community is productive, creative
and a very positive force in forging bonds between U.S. and India," he
said. "Further development of high tech ties between our nations would
help modernize India's economy and certainly serve to increase the cooperation
between our countries." Brownback urged a "freer flow of high tech workers
between our countries," though he did not specify numbers.
Talking of the sanctions that still
are in force against India because of India's nuclear tests, Brownback
said it was not fair to punish India because had not signed the CTBT).
He pointed out that among the sanctions
that still remain is a ban on loans from the International Financial Institutions
for other than humanitarian purposes.
The Clinton Administration had made
it clear that the removal of U.S. opposition to World Bank lending is contingent
on India signing CTBT, he said.
"The U.S. senate refused to ratify
this treaty-it makes no sense that it should remain as an obstacle to better
relations with India," he said.
Washington could taken ownership
of a bold new course for India-U.S. relations by eliminating all unilateral
sanctions against India.
Asserting that while India's overall
tariffs have declined from 300 percent to 40 percent in 12 years, Brownback
said they (the tariffs) remain on average the highest outside of
the Communist world."
He also brought attention to 200
Indian government and private agencies and firms which are on the American
Entity List.
"It is generally agreed that the
Entity List cast its net too broadly," Brownback said, "targeting entities
that did not have any connection with nuclear weapons program."
"The list is a needless sore point
in our improving bilateral relationship with India," he said.
