Clinton visit to focus on 'new relationship'

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON, FEB. 11. Though the finer details and the agenda of discussion during the U.S. President, Mr. Bill Clinton's visit to India next month are yet to be finalised, the focus will be on the new relationship, not on transient issues, the Indian Foreign Secretary, Mr. Lalit Mansingh, has said. There are no conditionalities attached to the visit, he added.

``Our understanding is that the focus will be on the new relationship and not on transient issues. We expect to reflect the new friendship in the new situation now,'' Mr. Mansingh said adding that bilateral relations were no longer seen in the prism of the cold war and that India and the U.S. were now in direct contact with each other on a wide range of issues.

Mr. Mansingh who was here at the invitation of the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Mr. Thomas Pickering, for Foreign Office-to-Foreign Office consultations said bilateral, regional and international issues were discussed along with Mr. Clinton's visit to India starting March 20.

The Foreign Secretary held talks with top U.S. Government officials including Mr. Pickering, the Deputy Secretary of State, Mr. Strobe Talbott, and the National Security Adviser, Mr. Sandy Berger. He also met top Congressional leaders in the Senate and the House of Representatives.

``We are looking forward to his (Mr. Clinton's) visit which comes after a gap of 22 years. We expect this visit to be an occasion where the new relationship between India and the U.S. is going to be affirmed,'' the Foreign Secretary said adding that the visit would be an occasion for the leaders of two countries to share views on the contemporary world situation and also look at how they can ``forge a relationship into the future''.

Stressing that there were no conditionalities attached to the visit, Mr. Mansingh made it clear that a range of issues such as political and economic relations, cooperation in science and technology and cooperation in energy would be discussed. Asked what India was hoping to gain from Mr. Clinton's visit, he said, ``we are not looking for any favours. It is going to be a partnership and we will discuss matters of mutual interest.''

Asked to comment on the recent statements of the U.S. Secretary of State, Ms. Madeleine Albright, on Kashmir and the extent to which this would be discussed during Mr. Clinton's visit, Mr. Mansingh pointed out that in any meeting there was bound to be a discussion of differences but in a friendly manner. ``Of course American concerns will be expressed and our concerns will be expressed to them. But that does not mean it is not going to be a friendly visit.''

Noting that it was customary for countries to raise issues and that he was not ruling out discussions on anything, the Foreign Secretary expressed confidence that the focus of the visit was not going to be Kashmir but on the new relationship between ``the most powerful democracy on earth and the largest democracy in the world''.

By the same token the Foreign Secretary played down the notion of a lame duck President visiting India saying there was an ``institutional aspect'' to the visit. ``It is the President of the United States visiting India and there's a continuity of policy as we have on our side. So expect that whatever is discussed is going to be carried forward. There will be a follow- up.''

At a time when there is a debate on whether the President should include Pakistan in his South Asia programme, Mr. Mansingh said it was a sovereign decision to be taken by the U.S. and that India's invitation to Mr. Clinton was not conditional. ``However, we thought as friends we bring to their notice that there might be a public reaction and this has been conveyed to them.''

Talking to mediapersons at the Indian Embassy here, Mr. Mansingh said he was going back satisfied after two days of ``intense, frank and serious discussions'' with U.S. Government officials. On the extent of convergence between New Delhi and Washington on terrorism in relation to South Asia, the Foreign Secretary said he was pleased with the inaugural meeting of the Joint Working Group and said this would lead to greater bilateral cooperation.

One of things discussed was the Community of Democracies Meeting to be held in Poland this June, an initiative that came about after a meeting between Ms. Albright and the Indian External Affairs Minister, Mr. Jaswant Singh. Over 50 countries have responded positively to this meeting which is expected to see the participation of eminent leaders and leading personalities.

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