Clinton keeps options open on sanctions

WASHINGTON, Oct 1 (PTI) — U.S. President Bill Clinton has expressed inability to lift economic sanctions on India and Pakistan until more progress is achieved in its talks with the two South Asian countries, President’s Press Secretary Mike McCurry has said.

"Until more progress is achieved, we are not going to be able to lift the sanctions," Mr McCurry said yesterday.

He, however, said the President would keep his options open on lifting the sanctions but the military export controls would remain in place.

"There is bipartisan support in the Congress for the Brownback Amendment which would allow for the temporary lifting of agricultural sanctions, not military export control sanctions that would remain in place," Mr McCurry said.

The reiteration of President’s position on sanctions has come in the wake of the Congress and Senate voting a Bill to lift sanctions for a year and dangling a carrot for India and Pakistan to hasten the process of signing and ratifying the ctbt.

The President believes that having flexibility on waiver of sanctions the U.S.A. can shape the kind of foreign policy it wants, the President’s Press Secretary has said.

"That kind of flexibility allows us to respond on things like nuclear testing that is more appropriate and more consistent with the needs and interests of the American people," Mr McCurry said.

Praising the New York meeting between Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee and Mr Nawaz Sharif, Mr McCurry said, the U.S.A. recognised the significant role played by India and Pakistan in the region and their significance to the world community.

He also acknowledged that Washington had ‘some’ productive talks with both New Delhi and Islamabad.

"We have made some progress on the issues of nuclear testing, and export controls in particular," he said, adding, "at the same time, the issues that we have been discussing with both governments are complex and we believe will require more time to be addressed to our mutual satisfaction."

Mr Clinton, said Mr McCurry, wanted very much to visit the sub-continent but "we are trying to get an environment created in which the trip will be useful in advancing the interests of the international community, the people of the USA and the people of India and Pakistan".

He said Washington was happy with the announcement of resumption of Foreign Secretary level talks between New Delhi and Islamabad and was hopeful of fruitful exchanges.

Later, Assistant Secretary for South Asia Karl Inderfurth said the USA was trying to get a multilateral agreement for freezing the production of fissile materials by all countries which had conducted nuclear tests without waiting for India and Pakistan to sign the ctbt and take other steps.

In this context the USA would meet representatives of the G-8 group of industrial countries plus Russia and the permanent members of the Security Council, he said.

Inderfurth said though India and Pakistan were moving towards the adherence to the ctbt and the announcement of unilateral moratoria on further tests, "until more progress is achieved" in the talks between Jaswant-Talbott we will not be able to fully lift sanctions and strengthen the cooperation with the two countries as we had hoped."

Stating that there was no specific date for conclusion of talks, Inderfurth hoped that "in the weeks ahead, we will be able to make progress that will give us the fullest argument to go up to the Capitol Hill and say — we are recommending repeal of all sanctions."

This would also help President Bill Clinton to go forward with his proposed trip to India and Pakistan "as soon as possible."

Referring to Indo-Pak ties, he said the two countries had "settled on a modus vivendi for bilateral talks on their disputes, including Kashmir, and we think that the joint statement made in New York was very significant and has our full support. Of course we would do whatever we can to assist at the request of both parties."

On what he thought still remained to be done, Inderfurth said, "clearly, actual signing and ratifying the ctbt. Also, finding a formula for a moratorium on fissile material production pending conclusion of the Geneva talks."