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Business, terrorism will top agenda in US

Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi

The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, India's endeavour for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council and international terrorism affecting both New Delhi and Washington are three vital issues to be discussed during Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's upcoming United Sates tour, according to a foreign affairs analyst.

"US officials including Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and her deputy Strobe Talbott have reiterated that the question of India signing the CTBT figures high on the agenda of the talks when Vajpayee visits New York and Washington. This issue is bound to be thrashed out as also international terrorism, which affects both countries," said Professor Chintamani Mahapatra of the School of American Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University.

He said that during US President Bill Clinton's "successful Indian visit " in March this year, both he and Albright had categorically spelt out that Washington was keen to see India contributing to world peace by signing the CTBT. However, he pointed out, India's explanation that it could not sign the treaty till a consensus was built in the country "would not deter the Americans from exerting pressure on the issue."

According to him, Vajpayee was also likely to stress on India getting a permanent seat on the Security Council for which it had widespread international support, barring China. He contended that with India emerging as a formidable information technology power and an economically and militarily strong nation, the prime minister was likely to make an impassioned plea for the seat.

Ministry of external affairs spokesman Raminder Singh Jassal pointed out that the agenda for political talks would include "bilateral, regional and international issues including international terrorism and security issues."

Jassal said while this was the "broad agenda," he could not focus on specific issues because very often "things evolved and were included in the talks."

However, he pointed out that both New Delhi and Washington had been adversely affected by international terrorism and during the recent Amarnath massacre in Jammu and Kashmir in which more than 100 innocent civilians had been killed, President Clinton had a telephonic conversation with Vajpayee. It underscored the concern of both leaders and their countries on the issue, he said.

A senior official of the MEA's America desk told rediff.com that Pakistan's continuing role in actively abetting cross-border terrorism in J&K would be raised by the Indian delegation during the talks. Besides, terrorism emanating from Afghanistan, which was a source of concern to Washington would also be discussed.

He underlined that in the context of broadening India-US relations, the two countries have already decided to set up a joint working group on counter-terrorism.

Also, both New Delhi and Washington have agreed to intensify their cooperation to ensure that the perpetrators of the hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC-814 are brought to justice. Both sides are formulating the scope and content of the anti-terrorism assistance programme offered by the US experts, it is learnt.

The official said the Indian delegation was likely to raise the issue of US sanctions clamped in the wake of the Pokharan II nuclear tests. While the US has been promising that the sanctions would be lifted soon, it is yet to be done.

According to Jassal, Indo-US economic relations are poised to receive a boost during the trip. He pointed out that the prime minister would interact with members of US business and industry.

"We anticipate focus on information technology, economic liberalisation and second generation reforms in India," Jassal pointed out, adding that, "India needs investment in the power sector and we would like to have inflow of investment from the US to India."

He said the focus would be on Indo-US business opportunities and the Indian delegation would meet the US National Association of Manufacturers and other business associations.

Besides, NASSCOM was arranging an interaction with information technology entrepreneurs, Jassal said.

Minister of External Affairs Jaswant Singh, Union Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha and Union Industry Minister Murasoli Maran are in the official Indian delegation, apart from the prime minister's Principal Secretary Brajesh Mishra, the foreign secretary and commerce secretary, among others.

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