Search the Internet          Tips  Sites: Finance, Investment

Sanctions against India, Pak must go: Rocca

US assistant secretary of state for South Asia-designate Christina B Rocca has said the sanctions imposed against India and Pakistan in the wake of the 1998 nuclear tests 'have outlived their usefulness' and she would like to 'get rid of them'.

"Far from achieving their objectives, these sanctions have, in fact, become an obstacle to fully engaging both nations," Rocca said on Thursday during the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing for her confirmation. She hoped that the administrative review, now underway, would result in the lifting of the sanctions.

Rocca's statement was the latest indication that determination to keep enforcing the sanctions might have diminished with the change in administration in the beginning of the year.

"There is currently a review in process on our sanctions. My perspective is that the sanctions have outlived their usefulness and we need to find a new framework and a new way in which to accomplish our nuclear concerns and get rid of the sanctions which are really an obstacle to fully engaging both nations," she said.

If confirmed, Rocca said she would continue the intense bilateral talks with both India and Pakistan in an effort to continue the security discussions that were initiated by previous administration.

The statement coincided with the visit of foreign secretary Chokila Iyer, who is here to hold discussion with the US State Department.

Rocca said both India and Pakistan have reiterated their commitment to maintain a moratorium on nuclear testing. "The US welcomes the continuation of the testing moratorium and we certainly continue to work to get both governments to exercise restraint."

Chairman of the Near-East and South Asia Subcommittee Senator Sam Brownback, who chaired the confirmation hearing, said: "The time has come for the United States to revitalize its relationship with India. We have important messages to send about proliferation in South Asia."

"However, I believe we need to escape the CTBT trap and stop holding our friends and ourselves hostages to that single issue," he said.

He pointed out that the US economic and political relationship with India was "poised to take off and we should do everything we can to promote and develop them. We should also be engaged with Pakistan."

Senator Joseph Biden sought to know the position of the Bush administration with regard to India and Pakistan signing the CTBT, which the US signed but the Senate rejected when presented for ratification.

Meanwhile, analysts have noted that Indo-US relations were undergoing a change when Rocca described India as a "global power" and Pakistan as a 'regional power'.

YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO SEE:
US sanctions against India to go soon: Mansingh

Tell us what you think of this report