'Friends Should Keep Their Pledges'

I am here to brief you on the meetingbetween External Affairs Minister, Yashwant Sinha and Secretary of State Colin Powell. The meeting took placethis evening. There was a one-to-one meeting which lasted about one hour, followed by delegation level talkswhich also lasted roughly an hour. As you would see we were able to discuss a whole gamut of issues.  Itwas a very positive conversation; a very meaningful dialogue. Both Ministers were agreed on this. 

The concentration was on bilateralissues.  As you may recall, both President Bush and Prime Minister Vajpayee have decided to take therelationship to a new level and provide a new dynamism to qualitatively transform the relationship. And bothcountries, as was apparent from the discussions held this evening, would like to translate into concreteaction these wishes of their leaders. Both Ministers felt that there were areas where much had been achieved,and others in which they must work harder. They wanted to intensify exchanges at the highest level as well as,as I mentioned earlier, to work on concrete programmes of action.

Secretary Powell expressed his sorrow at the death of ourVice President and conveyed his sincere condolences to the family of Shri Krishan Kant and to the Governmentand the people of India on this tragic loss. During the discussions with the External Affairs MinisterSecretary Powell said that it was a pleasure to be back in New Delhi, to be able to meet Shri Yashwant Sinha,and he said that he looked forward to working with the EAM and to speaking with him on a regular basis. 

Secretary Powell said that the US-India relationship is agood, strong, improving relationship and it was not a zero sum game defined by US relations with any othercountry in our region. He said he was impressed by the depth of the agenda for bilateral interaction.Military-to-military cooperation, as you know, has developed well in recent months. Both Ministers felt thatthe other elements which are also the focus of bilateral interaction should acquire further substance andmomentum. 

When I say other areas what was referred to were energy,economic cooperation, trade, science and technology, civilian space cooperation.  Both sides alsoexpressed their keen interest and desire to deepen the bilateral dialogue on regional issues and also tointensify high-level exchanges.

They were also agreed that the strategicdialogue between the two countries should be deepened further. They wish to broaden the scope of engagementand thereby intensify mutual trust.  There was also interest expressed in involving private sector inboth countries more closely in economic interaction and business level exchanges.

The situation in Afghanistan wasdiscussed. Satisfaction was expressed about the steps taken over the last seven to eight months onstrengthening the fabric of security and stability in Afghanistan. Both Ministers were agreed thatrehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan should be speeded up, should be intensified further.May I add also that concern was expressed about the whereabouts of hundreds , if not thousands, of Al Qaedaelements still running lose in the region. On Afghanistan we were also able to brief Secretary Powell aboutthe extensive efforts made by India in terms of assistance for the reconstruction and rehabilitation ofAfghanistan.

On the India-Pakistan situation, it wasemphasized by Secretary Powell that the United States does not see the US-India relationship within theframework of India-Pakistan relations. He was appreciative of our moving towards holding of free and fairelections in Jammu and Kashmir and emphasized that these elections should take place without interruption orviolence.  There was understanding and convergence of views between the two sides on the need to fightterrorism in a global manner.

Our concerns about the lack of action byPakistan to fulfill the pledges made by President General Musharraf to Deputy Secretary Armitage werestressed. Our Minister referred to the fact that Pakistan’s private commitments were entirely contradictedby its public pronouncements in this regard. It was also pointed out that India had exercised a great deal ofrestraint and had not indulged in provocative action or aggressive talk despite this attitude of Pakistan.

We referred to the fact that violence inJammu and Kashmir has only come down marginally and Pakistan’s actions are violative of UN Security CouncilResolution 1373. Clearly, Pakistan has to do more if tensions in the region were to be reduced and thepossibility of resumption of dialogue were to be realized. On his part Secretary Powell said that the UnitedStates was used to having its "friends keeping their pledges." 

Question: DidSecretary Powell think Pakistan has kept its pledges?

Answer Obviously when he referred to the fact that ‘friends should keep their pledges’ there was a clearexpression of opinion there that pledges once made, promises once made, must be kept. There cannot be anygoing back on them.

Question:

Answer Iam giving you an account of what happened during the discussions. I am not going into further details. Secretary Powell will be addressing a press conference tomorrow morning on his meetings here. So, I presumethat many of you will be going to that press conference.

Question: DidSecretary Powell clearly say that Pakistan needs to do more?

Answer Ihave told you about what was conveyed. Obviously there is recognition on the part not only of the UnitedStates but every responsible country in the international community that the pledge made to stop terrorism,cross-border terrorism permanently, to dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism, to end infiltration is apledge that must be honoured. We cannot play games of diplomatic bluff on this.

Question: DeputyPrime Minister Advani demanded that Pakistan should be declared a terrorist State.  Did this issue comeup for discussion?

Answer This issue did not come up for discussion.

Question: DidSecretary Powell seek further de-escalatory measures from India?

Answer No.I think there was a very very free and constructive exchange of views.  We conveyed to the United StatesGovernment during the discussions held this evening where we stood on these issues. In fact, our ExternalAffairs Minister went on record even before the talks when he was asked a question by a correspondent of TheWashington Post, that "if necessary conditions for talks are created, we will hold talks. But we do notthink such conditions exist at present."

Question: Youstressed that today’s talks were on bilateral issues.  I want to ask you specifically pertaining toPakistan, whether Secretary Powell brought any specific measures that might be new?

Answer Well, Secretary Powell is going to Islamabad tomorrow. I think I wouldn’t like to focus on what he mayconvey to the Pakistani authorities during that visit.  That is really a subject of action by the UnitedStates.  I don’t want to prejudge what may be said or what may be conveyed. But suffice it to say Ithink there is a clear recognition of the need for Pakistan to deliver on its pledges and the fact thatpromises once made are promises that must be kept.

Question: Areyou briefing us on the one-to-one talks?

Answer Iam briefing you on the entire range of discussions held this evening.

Question: SecretaryPowell has said that infiltration across the Line of Control has gone down but violence is still continuing.What do you have to say about that?

Answer Definitely, our concerns about what we monitor along the Line of Control in terms of communication intercepts,in terms of infiltration attempts, which happen, may I add, under the full protection or the full poweroffered and given by Pakistani army stationed along the Line of Control, was conveyed to the American side.

Question:

Answer Ithink I would be on the mark if I said that this is a transforming relationship. It is a relationship that isacquiring greater substance and meaning even as we speak.

Question: SecretaryPowell also has said …..

Answer Thefocus was on the situation in the region.  Our concerns about continuing terrorism directed againstIndia, directed against the Indian State, directed against the Indian people. I think those concerns wereconveyed very powerfully and very much in detail to Secretary Powell and his delegation.

Question: Didthe issue of verification of infiltration across the Line of Control come up for discussion? Also, did Indiaraise the proposal of joint patrolling along the Line of Control?

Answer No,the issue didn’t come up.

Question: Tillyesterday a meeting with Prime Minister was not on the schedule of Secretary Powell. Now, he is going to meetthe Prime Minister tomorrow. What exactly has happened in the last 24 hours?

Answer Heis meeting the Prime Minister tomorrow.  The meeting will take place at 10:45. We were able to work outthe schedule for that meeting late last evening.  That’s as plain and simple as it gets.

Question: Youhave mentioned that there are some areas where India and America need to work harder. What are those areas?

Answer  Obviously these details will be worked out at the official level. There are various institutional frameworksavailable for discussion between India and the United States and that is what I meant when I said yesterdaythat the relationship has a texture, has a granularity to it which provides for a very high resolution picturetoday which was not available a few years ago.  So, I mentioned energy, I mentioned economics, economiccooperation I mentioned, trade, I mentioned science and technology as well as scientific and technologicalexchanges, as well as civilian space cooperation.  These were some of the areas.

Question: …

Answer Theissue, as I understand, did not figure. I don’t have any further details on what is discussed. Let me stressthe fact that it was a very positive discussion. The chemistry between the two Ministers was excellent. Ithink they have established a very good personal rapport today.

Question: SecretaryPowell said that it is difficult to measure infiltration across the Line of Control in precise terms. What areyour comments on that?

Answer No,I think, as far as the way I understand it is that, what Secretary Powell could have meant when he said that,of course I am not an interpreter of his statements- I must say that first before I go on with what I have toconvey- I mean there are difficult challenges in terms of intelligence gathering in our region, in terms ofinformation consolidation on such subjects. That is I think a fair statement.  We are not denying that. But I think, since we are on the ground, since we monitor infiltration very closely, our forces along the Lineof Control are in a position to monitor this on a day-to-day basis, so by that definition the assessments madeby India certainly should be seen as having credence, as having a certain authority precisely because we areon the ground there.

Question: Don’tyou think he is questioning our assessment?

Answer No,I don’t think he questioned our assessment. Not at all.

Question: Didthe issue of Kashmir figure in the discussion?

Answer Itold you about the fact that the elections in Jammu and Kashmir were discussed.  Our Minister of StateMr. Omar Abdullah was also present at the delegation level talks. He is uniquely well-positioned to talk aboutthe situation in Jammu and Kashmir and he referred to the fact that in the run up to the elections, in the runup to preparations for free and fair elections, terrorist elements, elements that have an anti-Indian,anti-Jammu and Kashmir agenda, have consistently tried to propagate their violent and evil aims.  We havehad political workers of the National Conference being murdered everyday. Our Minister of State referred tothe fact that party workers who are committed to the ideals of our democracy and to the ideals of democraticfunctioning and to the holding of free and fair elections in Jammu and Kashmir are being murdered by terroristgroups and elements. I think this point was very well made by the Minister of State. I think it registeredvery well with Secretary Powell.

Question: Don’tyou think the US has failed to keep its friends, keep its pledges and deliver on the promises? Do you thinkthat today’s meeting would make any difference?

Answer Well, I would prefer to say that given the tenor and given the chemistry between the two Ministers today andthe positive nature of the discussion, the very constructive exchange of views that we saw happening, I thinkour concerns, our very legitimate views on the situation have been registered with the American side and theSecretary Powell has been able to get a first hand assessment of where India stands on these issues.  Ithink the point you mentioned included has been made to the Americans.

Question: Canyou share with us specifically the exact details of the discussion?

Answer Iam sorry, I cannot go into discussions which are confidential. I think I have been fairly detailed and fairlycomprehensive in what I have told you, and I think we should now move on to Secretary Powell’s pressconference tomorrow where you can ask the rest of your questions.