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Bush Seeking Better U.S.-India Relations
President Bush discussed with Indiaâs foreign minister on Tuesday how the two countries can build on a strategic relationship Bush suggested last week. "The president congratulated the foreign minister on the important progress being made on the relationship between Pakistan and India," White House press secretary Scott McClellan said after the presidentâs 15-minute meeting with Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha. "They also discussed the next steps on the strategic partnership between India and the United States."Strategic partnership with the worldâs most populous democracy. I like that. How âbout you, Mahmoud? Last week, Bush announced an expansion in dialogue on proposed cooperation to expand engagement on nonmilitary nuclear regulatory and safety issues and missile defense, ways to enhance cooperation in peaceful uses of space technology and creation of the appropriate environment for successful high-technology commerce. Relations between Bush and Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee have moved ahead over the past couple of years. The announcement came just after nuclear-armed India and Pakistan took a historic step of proclaiming their desire to put a half-century of enmity behind them and renew peace talks. Later, Sinha met for almost 90 minutes with Secretary of State Colin Powell, who praised last weekâs India-Pakistan agreement. With Sinha at his side, Powell told reporters the two sides "will be moving in an aggressive way and promptly" to implement the agreement announced last week. But, he added, the relationship goes well beyond that agreement. "There is no area of dialogue that we are not pursuing, and pursuing in a very profitable way," he said. Sinha said the discussions were conducted "in the friendliest and most cordial atmosphere. There is a great deal of meeting of the minds on most of these issues." Outstanding demonstration of cause-and-effect here: take a real step on the peace front, get talks moving on other things of interest. Wonder if the lesson will spread? Posted by: Steve White 2004-01-21 |
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