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U.S. Department of State

Daily Press Briefing

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QUESTION: On another subject, the Indian Government is complaining that some of its nuclear scientists who are working in this country on scholarships and other things have been, in effect, expelled. Is this now the policy to expel any Indian or Pakistani scientist involved in nuclear issues?

MR. RUBIN: Let me say this - it is not our policy to expel Indian scientists per se. In some cases, however, research funding for scientists has been terminated, which means that the basis for their immigration status no longer exists. We have had an extensive and fruitful program of cooperation with India for decades. Much of this cooperation is continuing. But following India's decision to test nuclear weapons, we are undertaking a thorough review of our science and technology relationship in order to ensure that our cooperation does not in any way go against the grain of our proliferation concerns.

There will be cases in which we will determine that continuation of our association with a particular Indian institution engaged in nuclear weapons or missile research is inappropriate. For example, the National Institute of Standards and Technology has reported to us that it has terminated the contracts of seven Indian researchers affiliated with organizations such as the BABHA Atomic Research Center, the Indian Institute of Technology and the Indian Institute of Science.

In short, because of the involvement of certain institutions with India's nuclear weapons or missile programs, we deem it inappropriate for them to participate in US-funded research, and that has an effect on their immigration status. It is more the function of the institution that they are affiliated with in India than the particular program or scientist involved here.

QUESTION: And does the same review apply to Pakistani scientists studying in this country?

MR. RUBIN: Certainly the kind of review that we're doing with respect to - in the follow up to the sanctions affects both of those countries that conducted nuclear explosions.

QUESTION: On that same subject, Pakistani military officials said today that a joint exercise with the United States in the fall called "Inspired Adventure" is going to be held as planned?

MR. RUBIN: I'm unfamiliar with that particular exercise, and that didn't come up in my consultations with my colleagues at the Pentagon. But we can try to get you an answer with regard to it. I'm unfamiliar with the exercise.

QUESTION: Okay, but I can check, but generally speaking, military exercises --

MR. RUBIN: Well certainly the sanctions that we imposed included a very important military component, which was to effect the military-to-military ties that our two countries had. Whether this exercise is being pursued or not and the reasons for it, I'll will have to check with you.

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QUESTION: I have a follow-up on the Indian scientist. Does ban list - does it only include Indian institutions, or does it include individual Indian scientists also?

MR. RUBIN: Well, I think the answer I gave earlier was that the purpose of the change in policy is to deal with institutions that are involved with India's programs of concern to us - nuclear weapons missile programs. Those institutions that are integrally involved in that process or are significantly involved in that process, when they're affiliated scientists come to the United States to pursue research, we have reacted by cutting off certain of the funding for those projects; and that has affected their ability to stay in the United States.

I don't think it's fair to say that it is scientist-dependent; it's not individuals that are being excluded. It is individuals who are here affiliated with an institution that we believe is helping India to make some very wrong decisions in the area of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.

QUESTION: Thank you.

(The briefing concluded at 1:45 P.M.)

[end of document]