17 October 2001
Text: Powell, Singh Say U.S., India Are United Against Terrorism
(Powell, Singh Press Conference, New Delhi, Oct 17, 2001) (3860)
Secretary of State Colin Powell and Indian External Affairs Minister
Jaswant Singh said the United States and India stand "shoulder to
shoulder" in the fight against terrorism.
"The United States and India have a responsibility as the world's
largest, multi-ethnic democracies to work in close partnership with
each other. The prospects have never been brighter for our cooperation
across a whole range of issues," Powell said in a press conference in
New Delhi October 17.
Powell emphasized that the focus of the international coalition is
eradicating the Al Qaida terrorist network from Afghanistan.
"Only after the terrorists are gone can there be a broad-based
government in Afghanistan that represents all elements of Afghan
society, brings an end to fighting, lives in harmony with its
neighbors and the neighborhood that it coexists in, begins the task of
reconstruction, and welcomes the refugees back home," Powell said.
Both Powell and Singh noted that the U.S. and India are "natural
allies," having cooperated closely on terrorism prior to the September
11 attacks. Powell conveyed President Bush's personal thanks to the
Prime Minister of India for the support the U.S. has received from
India over the past month.
In addition to discussing how the U.S and India can work together in
advancing the global coalition against terrorism, Powell and Singh
discussed strengthening relations between the two countries.
Specifically, Powell noted the signing of a Mutual Legal Assistance
Treaty to enhance the U.S. and India's fight against crime, as well as
President Bush's waiver of the Glenn Amendment Sanctions.
On the issue of Kashmir, Powell encouraged both India and Pakistan to
continue their dialog and take steps to reduce the tension between
them.
Following is the transcript of the Powell-Singh press conference:
(begin text)
REMARKS BY SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN L. POWELL AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
MINISTER JASWANT SINGH
IN NEW DELHI, INDIA
October 17, 2001
MINISTER SINGH: Ladies and gentlemen of the press, good afternoon.
It's my distinct pleasure to be here with my friend, the Secretary of
State, to meet all of you. I had the pleasure of the occasion to meet
him very recently in Washington on the 2 of October, and I am
delighted to be able to play host to him since yesterday. He leaves
shortly for Shanghai, but as the Prime Minister informed the Secretary
of State, we are not treating this visit by him as a visit of the
Secretary of State of the United States of America in lieu of a formal
visit.
We had, I had, a very cordial, very frank, and very fruitful
discussion with the Secretary of State yesterday where we spent just
under an hour discussing issues together and we had a pleasant supper
together. We covered the entire range of issues, bilateral India, the
United States of America, regional, as also global issues and, of
course, in regional, asked that covering the latest developments in
Afghanistan, particularly on September 11 and thereafter October 2,
came up for considerable extent of mutual discussion.
I do want to repeat that what the Prime Minister had said when he last
addressed the Joint Session of the U.S. Congress about India and the
United States of America being natural allies. I treat my friend
Colin's visit as part of the same demonstration. We continue to hold
that September 11 was an assault on freedom, on civilization, on
democracy, and India's stand against terrorism not simply starting
from September 11, even before that, have been unequivocal and we
stand shoulder to shoulder with the international community and the
United States of America in our battle against this global menace.
It is my pleasure, ladies and gentlemen, to now request my friend and
guest, the Secretary of State, to share his thoughts with us. And,
thereafter we are in the hands of Nirupama, and you are in her hands.
SECRETARY POWELL: Thank you very much, Mr. Minister, for your warm
welcome, and Jaswant, I thank you for your friendship as well. It
means a great deal to me. And I thank you and all of your colleagues,
especially the Prime Minister, for the courtesies extended to me in
this all too brief visit and I look forward to returning at some
future time and spending much more time here in India.
As you have noted we are natural allies. Two great democracies who
believe in a common set of values that have served both of our nations
well. President Bush has made it absolutely clear that transforming a
relationship with India and to putting it on a higher plane is one of
his highest priorities. I have found that this view is entirely shared
by Prime Minister Vajpayee and his colleagues as well.
The United States and India have a responsibility as the world's
largest, multi-ethnic democracies to work in close partnership with
each other. The prospects have never been brighter for our cooperation
across a whole range of issues and we have discussed all of these
issues in the past dozen or so hours. President Bush asked me to come
here to discuss the global coalition against terrorism, and how the
United States and India can continue our efforts over the long haul.
As an aside I might mention here and now that we know the Prime
Minister will be coming to the United States for the United Nations
General Assembly meeting in early November, and President Bush has
extended an invitation to the Prime Minister to come to Washington on
the 9 of November for a working visit with the President, and we look
forward to receiving the Prime Minister in Washington on the 9th of
November and I'm also pleased that, of course, that invitation has
been accepted and I can assure you, you will be warmly welcomed, Mr.
Minister.
President Bush also asked me to convey his personal thanks to the
Prime Minister for the support we have already received from India and
especially Foreign Minister Singh who has been in the forefront of
developing and presenting those support offers to us over the past
month. We have stood shoulder to shoulder in this fight against
terrorism. Both the United States and India were quick to realize the
attacks of September 11 were attacks on the whole world. Citizens of
some 80 countries were among the victims, including many Indian
citizens who remain among the missing. Our hearts go out to the
families of those here in India who were lost, as do our heartfelt
thanks to the people of India for the outpouring of sympathy we have
received for our own losses in the attacks.
I want to make it clear that our focus in Afghanistan now is
eradicating the Al Qaida network, to end the terrorist use of
Afghanistan as a safe haven, to stop the invasion of Afghanistan that
has taken place as a result of the presence of Al Qaida. We will
achieve that goal. President Bush and the international coalition are
determined, and we will persist and we will prevail. Only after the
terrorists are gone can there be a broad-based government in
Afghanistan that represents all elements of Afghan society, brings an
end to fighting, lives in harmony with its neighbors and the
neighborhood that it coexists in, begins the task of reconstruction,
and welcomes the refugees back home.
My colleagues here pointed out correctly that the problem of terrorism
is not limited to Afghanistan, and I assured them that our efforts are
directed against all terrorism. The United States and India are united
against terrorism, and that includes the terrorism that has been
directed against India as well. Even before the September 11 attacks,
the United States and India were cooperating extensively against
terrorism. We established a counterterrorism joint working group last
January for example. And now our cooperation is even more intense.
Today, Home Minister Advani and I signed a Mutual Legal Assistance
Treaty that will enhance our fight against crime. Though clearly a
major focus of my trip has been on ways the United States and India
can work together in advancing the international coalition against
terrorism, my talks with the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister and
other officials covered many other important issues as well. We agreed
on the far-reaching importance of the new Indo-U.S. relationship,
which is anchored by the commitment of our leaders and by the
friendship of our peoples. I am confident that our relations, already
improving substantially, are becoming and will become even stronger.
President Bush's waiver of Glenn Amendment Sanctions allows the United
States and India to move forward with broader cooperation between the
two sides.
During the course of my visit, I had occasion to discuss President
Bush's new strategic framework, and I briefed the Prime Minister on
our continuing exchanges with Russia on this very, very vital subject.
And we discussed how to promote stability on the subcontinent. In my
talks both here and in Pakistan, I have encouraged the leaders in both
nations to continue their dialogue and to take steps to reduce tension
between them. I leave India for the APEC Ministerial, confident that
the United States and India stand together against the scourge of
international terrorism, strengthened by our shared democratic values,
and ready as never before to work together for freedom, prosperity,
and security in the region and in the world.
And finally, once again, my good friend, I thank you for the warm
hospitality you have extended to me. Thank you, Mr. Minister.
MODERATOR: Ladies and gentlemen, the Secretary of State and the
External Affairs Minister will now take questions. We will have three
questions from each side. We will begin the first question from the
Indian side and follow that sequence for the American side asking the
second question, and similarly the Indian side and the American side
following.
Please indicate to whom you are addressing the question and identify
yourself while asking the question.
QUESTION: [ASHOK] SHARMA, AP. How can Pakistan be part of
international effort to combat terrorism? Pakistan has supported
terrorism in Afghanistan and Indian space and still maintains
diplomatic ties with the Taliban. Shouldn't India be attacking
Pakistan going by the logic of the United States of attacking
Afghanistan?
FOREIGN MINISTER SINGH: I presume that question is addressed to me.
SECRETARY POWELL: You can take it! I would not want to be
inhospitable. If you wish it, it's all yours. (Laughter)
I think Pakistan has made it clear in recent weeks that they recognize
the nature of the Taliban regime and they are working with us to fight
against Al Qaida, and they are working with us to see what kind of
government can be put together in a post-Taliban regime. We deplore
terrorism wherever it exists, whether it's the kind of terrorism we
saw on the 11 of September or the kind of terrorism we saw on the 1st
of October in Srinigar. And, we believe that all nations, who are
trying to move forward in a 21st century that I think will be shaped
more and more by democracy and the values of individual liberty and
freedom, can join in this coalition. We welcome all those who are
committed to those principles and are committed against terrorism.
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, George Gedda of AP. You said yesterday in
Pakistan that Kashmir is a central issue between India and Pakistan,
and you also said the aspirations of the Kashmiri people must be
respected. This caused some unease here in India. Do you have any
comment?
SECRETARY POWELL: Yes, I didn't say "a central". If you look
carefully, I said "central" in the sense that I believe it's an
important issue and to suggest that it isn't wouldn't have been
accurate. But it's more important to look at the rest of my statement,
where I said we should move forward on the basis of dialogue, on the
basis of efforts to reduce tension, to avoid violence, and with
respect to human rights. I think that is a sound statement. The issue
of Kashmir is one that has to be resolved between India and Pakistan.
The United States is a friend of both of those nations, to the extent
that both nations can find our efforts to be helpful in some way or
another, we will be willing to be helpful. But I think it is more
important to focus on the rest of my statement than that particular
word which has somehow had an article slipped in front of it while I
wasn't looking.
QUESTION: (Inaudible). Usama Bin Laden in an interview (inaudible)
claims that the Islamic world helped Pakistan build the nuclear bomb
and as such is an Islamic bomb, and can be used by them as and when
they choose. Your comments please.
SECRETARY POWELL: Nonsense. There is no such thing as -- Usama Bin
Laden is not a representative of Islam. He is a terrorist, he is a
murderer, he has murdered innocent Indians, innocent Americans,
innocent Pakistanis, innocent people from all over the world. And he
should not in any way be elevated to the status of a leader who
believes in any faith. He believes only in power. He has done nothing
to help the people who are suffering in the world. All he has done is
brought more evil into the world, and death and destruction to
individual citizens. There can be no linkage between what he might be
doing and what any other nation may be doing. I just reject that as
nonsense.
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, Patrick Tyler of the New York Times. A couple
of summers ago, the Central Intelligence Agency was reported to
suggest that America's plans to go forward with national missile
defense would incite China to expand its nuclear arsenal and that that
in turn would incite India and Pakistan in an arms race in South Asia.
Do you personally agree with that assessment? And you said you
discussed strategic issues today, how did it come up today?
SECRETARY POWELL: No, I don't agree with that assessment. I think the
kind of missile defense that we are planning on is a very limited
missile defense. I think once people come to understand the kind of
reductions we are going to make in our strategic offensive weapons,
significant reductions to much, much lower numbers, and when people
have a chance to get a look and come to understand the nature of our
limited missile defense, I don't think either Russia or China will
find it destabilizing with respect to their deterrent forces.
In my conversations both here and Islamabad, I heard from both sides
about this issue. We did have a conversation. I took the opportunity
of my meeting with the Prime Minister to describe the President's
strategic framework concept and to thank the Indians for their
understanding of the importance of missile defense. I get the sense
that both nations understand the nature of these weapons and the
importance of constraining their developments so that they serve as
deterrents and do not move from a strategy of deterrence to any other
kind of strategy. So there is no reason for an arms race to develop
based on what the United States is planning with missile defense. In
fact, I think missile defense in the long run will be seen as
stabilizing, not destabilizing, because it takes some of the currency
away from the value of strategic offensive weapons.
QUESTION: Sonia Trika, Indian Express. My question is addressed to
both of you. The Secretary said in Islamabad yesterday that you
believe that the Kashmir issue is central to the relationship between
India and Pakistan. This is not a view shared by India, which has
advocated a composite dialogue covering various political and economic
aspects with Pakistan, and not a unifocal approach as you have said
that centers on Kashmir alone. Do you think that the world sees the
wisdom of India's stand in this?
FOREIGN MINISTER SINGH: I cannot answer. I think the Secretary of
State has more than adequately really read out what he said in
Islamabad. There are obviously -- that is a position that the United
States of America has and has had. And as two democracies we could
disagree on an event but we don't need necessarily to be disagreeable
about the disagreement and we can work together. The question of the
state of Jammu and Kashmir is an example of the secular traditions of
the Indian nation. In that sense, we really cannot move towards
reinventing the two nations (inaudible) and we have shared these views
with the Secretary of State and will continue to do so.
SECRETARY POWELL: I agree totally.
QUESTION: Martha Raddatz from ABC. Secretary Powell, there was a
strain of anthrax found in the letter to Senator Daschle that is said
to be highly refined and pure, suggesting state sponsorship. Could you
comment on that? And Mr. Prime Minister, do you have concerns --
FOREIGN MINISTER SINGH: I'm not Prime Minister.
QUESTION: I'm sorry, I'm sorry (laughter). I'm so sorry. Should I ask
forgiveness or should I be happy for him (laughter).
Could you tell me what your concerns are about the evolving and
growing relationship between the United States and Pakistan, and have
you assured the United States that you'll do your part to calm down
tensions in Kashmir?
FOREIGN MINISTER SINGH: I can answer that very easily, I'm glad you
asked that. The relationship that India has and will develop with the
United States of America is not a hyphenated relationship. We don't
see it through any resin of relations between any other country. We
have a relationship with our western neighbor. We are committed.
This government has demonstrated the commitment of improving our
relations with Pakistan as perhaps no other government in the last
fifty years has despite the difficulties in several areas. The Prime
Minister has often said, and he repeated it to the Secretary of State,
that you can change friends but you can't change neighbors, and we can
certainly not alter geography, and Pakistan, with India, has to learn
how to live together as good neighbors. It will come, be assured we
cannot push the pace of it. Nobody can push the pace of it.
To the people of the two countries, I have no doubt in my mind,
realize the essential sanity of what the Prime Minister of India has
repeatedly said, that the two people have to learn, have to forget the
past, have to forget the mistakes of the past 50 years and we have to
learn to live together as we address what are our real enemies of
today - poverty, want, as the two countries are enabled to move
together in the 21st century and meet the challenges of the 21st
century.
SECRETARY POWELL: I really can't add anything about the anthrax story
and the Daschle envelope and what they analyzed. I just have not any
more information than you already have from Washington, so I better
stay away from that.
QUESTION: Anurag Thomar of Zee News. Minister, Secretary Powell, what
is your perception about India-U.S. relations after having a whole lot
of meetings on important issues with senior Indian leaders? Where does
it stand today, where does it go?
SECRETARY POWELL: I think our relations are strong. They have improved
so much in recent years. I was saying to my colleagues earlier that as
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and in most of the years I spent
in senior positions in the U. S. military back in the 70's and through
the 80's, we really didn't have much to do with India regrettably. And
that is now all changed. It is all changed.
So these two great democracies can now work together on areas of
mutual interest. We are trying to remove whatever irritations exist in
our relationship. And this improvement was taken place before the 11
September, and since the 11 of September, with the strong support that
we received from the Indian Government, we have the opportunity to
accelerate the pace of change, and we look forward to seizing that
opportunity. And I think it will be in the interest not only of our
two countries, but in the interest of South Asia, as well.
QUESTION: Andrea Mitchell from NBC News. Mr. Secretary, can you share
any information about what has just happened in Jerusalem with the
shooting of a cabinet minister and how this will affect your efforts
to try to persuade both sides to resume a more meaningful dialogue and
persuade the Israelis, in particular, not to take counteraction?
SECRETARY POWELL: I just heard about it before the press conference so
I don't know the details, and who has taken credit for the shooting or
what the nature of the incident was and so I really don't have a
comment at this time.
QUESTION: Are you going to try to reach out to Mr. Sharon and try to
persuade him that no matter what has happened in this instance that he
should not retreat from --
SECRETARY POWELL: I think I better understand the instance before I
suggest that to Mr. Sharon, but as you know I speak to him on a very
regular basis, if not daily, every other day or so, and I would look
forward to doing it in the next day or so.
QUESTION: And Mr. Foreign Minister, in particular on the subject of
the U.S. Congress now lifting some remaining sanctions and the
expressed proposal by the Administration to follow up by waiving, by
taking advantage of the waiver and granting more economic aid and
possibly military aid in the future to Pakistan. Do you think that
this economic aid to Pakistan is potentially destabilizing the
relationship that India has with the United States? Is this too much
of a reward for Pakistan, and is it something that in any way offends
India?
FOREIGN MINISTER SINGH: I understand your question. I've just
responded to a similar question. India's relationship with the United
States of America is not subject to and is not under the veto of any
other relationship. These are two sovereign countries, and it's very
good luck to our western neighbors in Pakistan. It is my hope that
they will utilize the economic aid for the right purpose, but that's
again something that Pakistan has to decide. I can't very well decide
for Pakistan or even attempt to advise Pakistan how they should do it.
We have a certain experience about military aid to Pakistan in the
past, and now that we see some evidence of Pakistan moving away from
the fixed positions of the past and joining the rest of the
international community, we can only hope that the same approach will
be governed their utilization of any aid or assistance that they
receive from the United States of America or any other country in the
world.
MODERATOR: Thank you very much. I'm afraid we have to conclude here.
Thank you.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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