Celeste lauds ceasefire

KOLKATA, JAN. 12. The United States Ambassador to India, Mr. Richard F. Celeste, today appreciated India's ceasefire offer in the militancy-hit Jammu and Kashmir and New Delhi's effort to hold talks with Kashmiri leaders.

``We applaud the Prime Minister's Ramzan ceasefire offer and its extension announced last month. That is why we are encouraged by steps taken on both sides to reduce violence. That is why we respect the Government's effort to engage in substantive talks with a wide range of leaders in Kashmir,'' Mr. Celeste said here.

He said the U.S. shared India's concern about tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad, ``which have been especially high since the Kargil war last year'' and expressed the hope that a congenial atmosphere would be created leading to resumption of dialogue between the two neighbours as per the Lahore Declaration.

Mr. Celeste said following the visit of the U.S. President, Mr. Bill Clinton, to India and the Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee's return visit, the opportunity to build a dynamic relation between the two countries in the 21st Century was ripe.

``The NDA Government has made it clear that it believes a broad- based and robust engagement with the U.S. is in India's national interest. I sense that many, though certainly not all, in the Opposition share this view.''Regrets reforms slowdown

Expressing concern over the slowing down of reform agenda ``due to political pressures'', Mr. Celeste said, ``Although the opening up of the economy in 1991 helped generate a sustained high rate of GDP growth, political pressures within the governing coalition and outside have slowed the reform agenda.''

``This has led to investors in the U.S. treading cautiously when considering India as a destination,'' he claimed. The Ambassador was addressing a meeting organised by the West Bengal Federation of United Nations Associations, and the Commonwealth Parliament Association here.

Mr. Celeste said India was a strong contender for a permanent berth in the expanded United Nations Security Council. Asked to spell out the U.S. stand on India's candidature, he evaded a direct reply, saying ``we had very serious discussions with the Indian Government on the issue some time back''. He hoped that the new Bush administration would hold discussions with New Delhi on the issue.

- PTI

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