DATE=3/20/2000
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
TITLE=CLINTON / INDIA
NUMBER=5-45682
BYLINE=JIM TEEPLE
DATELINE=NEW DELHI
INTERNET=YES
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Tuesday, following his return to New Delhi from
Bangladesh, President Clinton begins his official
visit to India. Mr. Clinton says he wants to use his
trip to India to rekindle the relationship between
India and the United States -- and to reduce tensions
between India and Pakistan. V-O-A's Jim Teeple
reports from New Delhi, Mr. Clinton is not expected to
spend much time on diplomatic details during his visit
to India -- preferring instead to define broad areas
where the two countries can cooperate.
TEXT: Indians woke up Monday to a front-page letter
in the "Times of India" newspaper addressed to them by
President Clinton. In his letter, Mr. Clinton says --
after 50 years of missed opportunities -- it is time
now that India and the United States become better
friends and stronger partners.
// OPT // Mr. Clinton also says only India and
Pakistan can decide how to protect their security.
The president says he hopes both countries will ask
themselves if they safer today than before they tested
nuclear weapons, two years ago. He urges both
countries to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty,
which bans all nuclear testing. Mr. Clinton also
says he is not going to mediate the dispute between
India and Pakistan over Kashmir, but that he will urge
both countries to respect the "line of control," which
divides the disputed territory. // END OPT //
Mr. Clinton will meet with India's Prime Minister Atal
Behari Vajpayee Tuesday. Kanti Bajpai is a professor
at Jawaharlal Nehru University who says India and the
United States have agreed to disagree on issues like
nuclear proliferation and outside mediation over
Kashmir. Professor Bajpai says it is likely that Mr.
Clinton will spend his time in India seeking to simply
reduce tension in the region.
// BAJPAI ACTUALITY //
I think the primary goal really is to get India and
Pakistan talking, to foster a sense of stability
between the two neighbors - and I think to urge India
to do something on its side of Kashmir - with respect
to the difficulties there - to the violence there.
And, to urge Pakistan to play a much more moderate and
restrained role on that issue. I think that is the
real agenda and I think that has come through loud and
clear.
// END ACTUALITY //
India and the United States will sign three agreements
during President Clinton's visit. Two of them are
technical in nature. One will establish a joint Indo
/ U-S science and technology forum to foster the
transfer of technology between the two countries and
speed up joint research efforts. The other agreement
will define areas of cooperation in the fields of
energy and the environment. A third document, which
is being called a "vision statement," will offer a
broad view of areas where the two countries can work
together to achieve common goals. Kishen Rana - a
retired senior Indian diplomat -- says the agreements
are basic but valuable because they show there are
definite areas where the two countries can cooperate
as equals. Mr. Rana says, too much emphasis is being
placed on what Mr. Clinton will achieve from the
visit. He says India, too, has an opportunity to
achieve something.
// RANA ACTUALITY //
For a country like India, which would like to be one
of the poles in a multi-polar world, there is a need
for certain alacrity and certain flexibility in
relationships. We have to be able to build alliances
and webs of influence in a way which is that is not
determined by preconceived notions - and I think this
visit will be a demonstration of how we will be able
to handle that.
// END ACTUALITY //
Meanwhile, India's astrologers seem to be divided over
whether Mr. Clinton will be able to call his visit a
success or not. Astrologers, who believe that the
position of the stars and planets influence worldly
affairs, have a wide following in India. One
astrologer who says the trip will be a success, notes
Mr. Clinton arrived on the 19th of the month, which
coincides with the day of his birth: 19. Others
disagree, saying the time of Mr. Clinton's arrival
late Sunday night was not auspicious and, as a result,
he will not achieve his stated goals of improving U-S
/ India ties and reducing tensions in the region.
(Signed)
neb/jlt/wd
20-Mar-2000 04:57 AM EDT (20-Mar-2000 0957 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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