Sanctions strategy has not worked: Blackwill

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON, JUNE 27. The United States Ambassador-designate to India, Mr. Robert Blackwill, has said the strategy of imposing sanctions against India following the nuclear tests of May, 1998 has not worked and the punitive measures ought to be removed ``briskly''.

Meanwhile, the Democrats in the U.S. Congress have said the nuclear nonproliferation goals will remain as far as India and Pakistan are con*cerned; and with respect to Pakistan the focus will also be on democracy.

``... we don't want to take actions which would be misinterpreted as the weakening of our resolve when it comes to the whole question of non proliferation,'' said the Chairman of the Near East and South Asia Sub-Committee of the Foreign Relations Committee, Mr. Paul Wellstone, Democrat from Minnesota, said during confirmation hearings for five Ambassador nominees on Tuesday.

``A long time friend, Pakistan may now be in need of some tough love. The next Ambassador to Pakistan will have to convey a strong message about America's commitment, not only to non- proliferation but also to democratic values, human rights and opposition to Taliban-inspired militancy,'' Mr. Wellstone said.

In response, Mr. Blackwill said, ``in my opinion, the best way to accomplish that objective is to have a broad, comprehensive, robust relationship with India on many subjects. I think if we are able to accomplish that we will have Indian interlocutors who will take much more seriously what we have to say not, incidentally, only on the issue of non-proliferation... I believe that sanctions against India ought to be removed briskly.''

A Harvard University professor who served the previous Bush administration, Mr. Blackwill was one of the top foreign policy advisers to the President, Mr. George W. Bush, during the presidential campaign last year.

In prepared remarks, Mr. Blackwill said the President was committed to transforming the ties between the U.S. and India and this central strategic objective was reflected in an address by Mr. Bush in 1999 at the Reagan Library in California. ``Mr. Bush believes the world can be made freer, more peaceful and more prosperous if the U.S. and India cooperate more closely together over the long term.''

Asked about the areas he would focus on as the Indo- U.S. relationship intensifies, Mr. Blackwill mentioned the future of nuclear weapons in the international system. ``It seems to be that we would have an intense dialogue with the government of India on that subject... Deputy Secretary (Richard) Armitage went there and began that discussion.''

Mr. Blackwill would also focus on economic/commercial issues, anti-terrorism, the future of the relationship between India and Pakistan, energy security in the Persian Gulf, global issues and the United Nations. ``If we can build a muscular interaction with the Indian Government on each of these, it seems to be that they're mutually reinforcing, and will help us be a more persuasive advocate for our position when we interact with New Delhi, but also... we have to be very good listeners too.''

``... we all hope the very best for the summit meeting in India between Gen. Pervez Musharraf and the Prime Minister, Mr. A. B. Vajpayee. We of course are not going to mediate in this dispute between the two, but if we can be helpful and both sides want us to be helpful then I think we should be. But of course in the end they're going to have to find a way to resolve this issue, hopefully peacefully between them,'' Mr. Blackwill said.

Asked to comment on the new anti-terrorism laws in India, he said India, a thriving democracy, was struggling with something faced by many democracies - striking the right balance between protecting individual rights and that of society.

Referring to a recent media report on the requirement to have foreigners registered after arrival in India, he said this policy was under review in New Delhi. ``... they are struggling with the right balance. But I can assure you that is a subject, if confirmed, I will follow very closely,'' he said.

Five nominees of the Bush administration - all for the posts of Ambassadors - were on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, including Ms. Wendy Chamberlin, who will be the United States Ambassador to Pakistan upon confirmation by the full Senate. But even before Ms. Chamberlin could spell out her vision of the future of U.S.- Pakistan relations, Mr. Paul Wellstone, Democrat member of the Senate from Minnesota, spelt out some of the issues the Democrats will closely pursue such as nonproliferation, democracy, human rights and the Taliban.

U.S.-Pak. ties

Ms. Chamberlin said Washington had to define a relationship with Islamabad on its own merits. ``The U.S. and Pakistan enjoyed friendly relations for most of Pakistan's 54 years of history. Yet our relationship, to a large extent, revolved around issues focussed on third countries such as the Soviet Union, Afghanistan and India, the Cold War. It's time to define our relationship with Pakistan now on its own merits.''

``Pakistan is an important country in a dangerous neighbourhood. It is a nuclear capable country of 140 million people. The U.S. has a strong interest in a stable, democratic, prosperous Pakistan that is at peace with its neighbours,'' Ms. Chamberlin said in prepared remarks.

Acknowledging Mr. Wellstone's opening remarks on nonproliferation, human rights, the future of democracy in Pakistan and the ``terrible situation'' of the refugees on the Pakistan-Afghan border, she said it would be her intention to see that these become instructions to the next envoy in Islamabad.

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