Clinton postpones S. Asia visit
CTBT talks with India, Pak not satisfactory

DHAKA, Sept 30 (PTI) — The U.S. President, Mr Bill Clinton’s planned visit to South Asia has been postponed as "talks with India and Pakistan on non-proliferation have not reached a point where a visit to the region would be productive.’’

Mr Clinton’s visit to Bangladesh in November this year has been postponed, U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh John C. Holuzman said here today.

Mr Clinton wrote to Premier Sheikh Hasina today expressing regret that he and Mrs Hillary Clinton were unable to accept her invitation to visit Dhaka, Mr Holuzman told members of the Overseas Correspondents Association of Bangladesh (OCAB).

"The President made clear that he had postponed his trip to South Asia because consultations with India and Pakistan on non-proliferation issues have not reached the point where a visit to the region would be most productive," he said.

He quoted Mr Clinton as saying that progress was being made in talks with these countries and hoped circumstances would permit him to reschedule his visit to the region next year.

In Washington yesterday, White House spokesman Michael McCurry hinted at the possibility of the trip being postponed but said no decision had been taken yet.

Meanwhile, media reports from Tokyo said Mr Clinton planned to visit Japan and South Korea after attending the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum summit in Kuala Lumpur beginning November 17.

WASHINGTON: The U.S. Congressman, Mr Sherrod Brown, on Wednesday termed India’s pledge to sign the comprehensive test ban treaty (CTBT) as a "welcome and sound move" that would ensure global nuclear security.

"India’s pledge to sign the treaty comes at great risk to its security. It has long been threatened by China’s policies of destabilisation and its assistance to Pakistan’s nuclear programme," Mr Brown, a member of the House international relations panel, said in a statement to the Senate.

Calling for enhanced Indo-U.S. Cooperation to ensure stability in South Asia, he said, "we cannot rely on China and Pakistan to maintain regional stability."

Amidst reports that Mr Clinton had cancelled a planned trip to South Asia in November, the democratic congressman said, "I urge President Clinton to visit India this fall and I call on the U.S. Senate to ratify the comprehensive test ban treaty."

Mr Brown, a prominent member of the caucus for India and Indian-Americans, said, "by declaring its intent to forgo nuclear testing, India has extended an olive branch to its neighbours and the international community."

"I believe India’s move to ban nuclear testing will lead to lessening of tensions in South Asia," he added.

Canada against waiver

OTTAWA, Sept 30 (Reuters) — Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha has said the possible waiving of US sanctions imposed after India’s nuclear tests would give an immediate boost to business sentiment.

But Canadian Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy said he opposed any relaxation of sanctions by his country until India made clear commitment on its nuclear programme.

A House-Senate panel in Washington voted on Monday to give President Bill Clinton discretion to issue a one-year waiver of sanctions on India and Pakistan in the hopes that it would bring greater US leverage in the Indian subcontinent.

"I think it’s a very positive development," the Indian Finance Minister said yesterday, ahead of a Commonwealth Finance Ministers meeting.

Mr Sinha said the US sanctions had had only a limited impact.

"But even that limited impact was bad from the point of view of business sentiment, and I think the most important thing which is going to happen as the result of the lifting of sanctions is that it will immediately boost business sentiment both in the USA as well as in India," he said.

But Mr Axworthy, speaking to mediapersons in Ottawa yesterday, said India had to go beyond signing the comprehensive test ban treaty (CTBT). "That’s just one of the elements," he said.