27 August 2001
Excerpt: State's Boucher Said U.S. Ties with India Improving
(Says India cooperating with U.S. in dealing with Usama bin Laden) (1130) State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said U.S. ties with India are improving, but no decision has been made about removing sanctions against India. Boucher said the United States appreciates India's efforts to pursue indicted terrorist Usama bin Laden in connection with a plot to bomb the U.S. embassy in Delhi. Boucher said the U.S. policy toward India is not directed at a third country. He said Pakistan is a long-standing friend of the United States and the U.S. government is "committed to working through the difficult political, economic, and social challenges with Pakistan." Following are excerpts from Boucher's August 27 briefing with his comments about South Asia. (begin excerpt) .... Q: Could you talk about India and sanctions and whether there's a strong move to end them? MR. BOUCHER: I think I can really only address it in a general sense to say that the U.S. and India have been in the process of transforming our relationship. India is becoming more and more important to the United States as it assumes a larger role in world affairs, and as its economy expands to meet its enormous potential. We do want to work with India's leaders to expand our cooperation. And we'd also note that our improved relationship with India is not directed at any other country. The administration is currently reviewing our policy on South Asia sanctions. No decisions have been made at this point, and obviously we'd want to consult with Congress about any changes. Q: Just to follow. The Pakistani ambassador here in Washington is having a campaign against the United States, against this department, that -- and the Washington Times actually seems to be lobbying on behalf of Pakistan and her because these stories are almost every day. Now she's saying that the U.S. is discriminating against her again. She said the same thing two months -- a month ago, same thing last year, the same question. So where do we stand today as far as accusations against the U.S.'s discriminating Pakistan, as far as sanctions are concerned? MR. BOUCHER: I haven't seen those particular statements. I'd just make clear that our relationship with India, first of all, is not directed against other -- any other country. Pakistan is a friend of long standing. It's an important regional and Islamic power. And we are committed to working through the difficult political, economic, and social challenges with Pakistan. Q: Can we move to Macedonia? Q: One more. Sorry. India formally charged Osama bin Laden and five of his colleagues in connection -- (inaudible) -- plot to bomb the U.S. embassy in Delhi. Do you have any comments on that, on how Washington is working with the Indian authorities? Because Osama bin Laden has threatened now India because of this, all these arrests, that -- a holy war against India and against the United States. MR. BOUCHER: I would say, first of all, that we appreciate the efforts by Indian law enforcement authorities in pursuing this matter, that we continue to be in very close touch with the government of India about the case, that we do believe that terrorists need to be brought to justice for their crimes, but we'd leave any details on the case to the government of India. .... QUESTION: Could you talk about India and sanctions and whether there is a strong move to end them? MR. BOUCHER: I think I can really only address it in a general sense to say that the U.S. and India have been in the process of transforming our relationship. India is becoming more and more important to the United States as it assumes a larger role in world affairs and as its economy expands to meet its enormous potential. We do want to work with India's leaders to expand our cooperation, and we would also note that our improved relationship with India is not directed at any other country. The Administration is currently reviewing our policy on South Asia sanctions. No decisions have been made at this point, and obviously we would want to consult with Congress about any changes. QUESTION: Just to follow up, the Pakistani Ambassador here in Washington is having a campaign against the United States, against this Department, and The Washington Times, actually, has since been lobbying on behalf of Pakistan and her because these stories are almost every day. Now, she is saying that the U.S. is discriminating against -- again, she said the same thing two months or a month ago or something when we ask her the same question. So where do we stand today as far as allegations against the U.S. that it is discriminating in Pakistan as far as sanctions are concerned? MR. BOUCHER: I haven't seen those particular statements. I just made clear that our relationship with India, first of all, is not directed against any other country. Pakistan is a friend of long standing. It is an important regional and Islamic power. And we are committed to working through the difficult political, economic and social challenges with Pakistan. QUESTION: One more. Sorry. India formally charged Usama bin Laden and five of his police in connection in charging plot to bomb the U.S. Embassy in Delhi. Do you have any comments on that on how Washington is working with the authorities, because Usama bin Laden have threatened now India because of this -- all these arrests that the Holy War against India and against the United States? MR. BOUCHER: I would say, first of all, that we appreciate the efforts by Indian law enforcement authorities in pursuing this matter, that we continue to be in very close touch with the Government of India about the case, that we do believe the terrorists need to be brought to justice for their crimes, but we leave any details on the case to the Government of India. .... QUESTION: Your Embassy in Colombo seems to have stirred up a bit of a hornet's nest in Sri Lanka by releasing a statement saying that the Ambassador had tried to intervene in the latest political crisis there. Do you know what is going on? MR. BOUCHER: This was a couple weeks ago. QUESTION: Yes, but it has just come to a head now because yesterday -- MR. BOUCHER: I do know that our Ambassador has been in touch with the various parties there, that occasionally he had been asked to carry messages. We have done that. We obviously have an interest in peace in Sri Lanka. I am not aware of anything new on that subject, frankly. QUESTION: Isn't this kind of a mediation by the United States in Sri Lanka? MR. BOUCHER: I'm not sure I would go that far. (end excerpt) (Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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