M A I N   N E W S

No ill will on India’s decision, says Blackwill
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 17
India’s relations with the USA will not be affected “in the slightest” by New Delhi’s decision to not send troops to Iraq, outgoing US Envoy to India Robert.D Blackwill said here today.

At the same time the USA was firm on its commitment in the fight against terrorism, he said and added that it “will not lose its focus and stamina” till it was stopped.

“On the topical issue of Indian troops for Iraq, the USA had obviously hoped that India would take a different decision. But the transformation of Indo-US relations will not be affected in the slightest by this particular outcome of India’s governmental democratic processes”, Mr Blackwill told industrialists at a function organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here.

The US envoy dismissed reports of US pressure on India to despatch troops. “We didn’t pressurise the Government of India. We had serious and sustained discussions on the basis of equality,” he said.

Close and collaborative strategic relations between the USA and India will further blossom in the long run, most importantly because of the convergence of democratic values, vital national interests and rapidly expanding people-to-people ties, he said.

Mr Blackwill laid down the contours of the future on the Indo-US strategic relations under three broad parameters: to promote peace and stability in Asia; combating international terrorism; and arresting the spread of weapons of mass destruction.

No longer does the USA largely view its relationship with India through a prism “that must always include India’s next-door-neighbour”. “Bush Administration perceives India as a strategic opportunity for the USA, not as an irritating recalcitrant”, he said.

Mr Blackwill pointed out that the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack had produced a huge shift in the psyche of the US citizens .

“America suddenly realised what Indians had tragically known for well over a decade— that there were individuals in the world so depraved, so evil, that they would scrupulously plan and meticulously carry out the large-scale murder of utterly guiltless human beings”, he said.

Defeating terrorism for the United States and India was a “matter of survival for ourselves, for our democratic values, for our religious freedom, for our children, for everything that we hold dear”, he added.

“These murderers are not misunderstood idealists. They are not disadvantaged dissidents. They are not religious perfectionists. And they are not freedom fighters. They are terrorists, and we should never fail to call them exactly that”, Mr Blackwill said.