U.S. Congressmen call for lifting of sanctions

WASHINGTON, MARCH 22. Key members of the U.S. Congress have called for lifting of remaining sanctions against India and to deepen Indo- U.S. relations correcting ``errors of the past''.

``The new Bush administration has a chance to correct the errors of the past, such as the imposition of sanctions against India,'' the Republican Congressman, Mr. Ed Royce, said on Wednesday night.

``We need not only to lift the sanctions on India but we need to be looking at joint military exercises with India,'' he told the inaugural function of the formation of a new umbrella organisation of Indian American community - the Indian American National Foundation.

Mr. Royce, co-chairman of the India caucus, said there was need for greater understanding of India's concerns, saying Washington should work in concert with New Delhi with a taskforce on terrorism. The Democratic Senator, Mr. John Kerry, said he worked hard with the former national security advisor, Mr. Sandy Berger, and the former President, Mr. Bill Clinton, to see that the sanctions were lifted before the President left office.

``This is a good time to take a new look at what the U.S. may be able to do to further improve bilateral ties and build on what was done in the past,'' the acting Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia, Mr. Alan Eastham said.

- PTI

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : International
Previous : 'No anti-dumping duty on steel wire from India'
Next     : U.S. to expel 50 Russian diplomats; Russia vows
           tit-for-tat