September 26, 2001
The USA has assured India that it would target terrorist groups in other parts of the world after the military campaign against Osama bin Laden.
Indian diplomats here said senior US officials told the visiting national security adviser, Mr Brajesh Mishra, that though Washingtons immediate concern was to smoke out the terrorists responsible for the 11 September attacks, that wont be the end of the story. In Delhi, the US ambassador said the world community was unanimous that terrorism had to be fought everywhere. But, as an initial step, the focus is on Afghanistans terrorist network and export of terror from there. USA is determined to treat South Asia in a non-hyphenated way. Were treating Indo-US ties separate from any other relationship and what were seeing in the US-India frontier is not connected to events occurring in Pakistan. The USA has enlisted Pakistans help in its plan to strike against Bin Ladens al-Qaida group in Afghanistan. As a price for it, Washington lifted nuclear sanctions on Pakistan, along with those on India, and is considering humanitarian and economic aid to Islamabad, harking back to the Cold War days when Pakistan helped the USAs covert war against Soviet troops in Afghanistan. An unstable Pakistan is a threat to the world, Mr George W Bush said yesterday at a press conference, also attended by the Japanese Prime Minister, Mr Junichiro Koizumi. Mr Koizumi, on his part, announced millions of dollars in humanitarian aid to Pakistan.
The revival of USAs ties with Pakistan, accused by New Delhi and Washington of aiding terrorist groups in Kashmir, has caused dismay to India. Its feared Indias fight against Pakistan-backed terrorism will be ignored. As if to strengthen the view, there has been scant mention in the US media or official statements about Pakistans role in breeding terrorism.
A list of terrorist groups published by the USA on Monday in an attempt to block funds supply to them doesnt include any organisations active in Kashmir. For many years, the state departments annual report on global terrorism has been listing Harkat-ul-Ansar and other groups as active in Kashmir and mentioned Pakistans support for them.
Sources said Mr Mishra had warned US officials against making a distinction between al-Qaida and other terrorist groups that might have links with Bin Laden. He has reportedly told them: Any distinctions we make now will lead to mistakes in the future. US officials agreed with him. Mr Blackwill said the USA wanted to further intensify miltary ties with India, but hadnt asked New Delhi for any military help in a possible attack on Osama. Washington hasnt concluded talks on what should be the next step. On Indias offer of support to an war on terrorism, he said: We didnt have to ask for Indias support as it was in the front row of those countries that immediately recognised the threat to the international system by this act (11 September attacks)... Weve established an unprecedented degree of cooperation with India to fight terrorism.
He said the two countries will discuss re-opening of military sales suspended after the 1998 Pokhran blasts. The external affairs and defence minister, Mr Jaswant Singh, is scheduled to meet the US secretary of state, Gen Colin Powell, and defence secretary, Mr Donald Rumsfeld, next week. Hell fly to Paris tomorrow night, and then to Washington via New York.
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