'Unprecedented cooperation'

By C. Raja Mohan

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 26. The United States wants to build separate relationships with India and Pakistan and ties with one should not be viewed through the prism of the other, the U.S. Ambassador to India, Mr. Robert Blackwill, said here today.

In his first press conference, Mr. Blackwill, who arrived here a couple of months ago, sought to dispel the perception that since the terrorist attacks against America two weeks ago, Pakistan had once again become the main focus of U.S. policy in the subcontinent.

Mr. Blackwill asserted that U.S. relations with India and Pakistan ``do not lend themselves to an innings by innings score- card on who is ahead''. The U.S. welcomed the ``unprecedented cooperation'' by India in the fight against terrorism and was ``gratified'' that Pakistan too had joined the war.

Mr. Blackwill said the relationship between India and the U.S. had been ``transformed in many practical ways'' since September 11. This would have happened in any case but the attacks against the U.S. had ``accelerated'' the process.

India and the U.S. were now engaged in cooperation ``unthinkable even a month ago''. The envoy pointed to the ``intensity, frequency and transparency'' of exchanges between the two Governments at the diplomatic, intelligence and military levels.

On the Indian offer of support to the U.S. military operations against Afghanistan, Mr. Blackwill said Washington had not made any request so far. When the U.S. made up its mind on the military strategy to be adopted, it could come up with specific requests.

Technical ties

Asked about the prospect of technological cooperation following the lifting of sanctions, Mr. Blackwill said ``prohibitions will remain'' on transfers of technology related to India's nuclear weapon and missile programmes. But access to a full range of other technologies of interest to India might be easier. Bilateral defence cooperation too was likely to get a boost. Responding to the scepticism in India that Washington might want to wage war only against those extremist groups threatening its own security, Mr. Blackwill reiterated the U.S. position that ``there are no good terrorists or bad terrorists, but only terrorists''.

Terrorism was a universal phenomenon. It ``is not a problem that can be stamped out in a piecemeal manner''. At the same time, these forces could not be eliminated ``everywhere at once''.

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