Bill introduced in U.S. to lift sanctions

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON, APRIL 7. Formal legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives calling for the lifting of sanctions against India and Pakistan which were imposed in the wake of the Pokhran tests of 1998.

The legislation was introduced by the Co- Chairs of the India Caucus, Mr. Jim McDermott and Mr. Ed Royce.

The Bill seeks to terminate all prohibitions on assistance to India or Pakistan and all sanctions and other economic restrictions imposed on India or Pakistan under the Arms Export Control Act.

The 105th and 106th Congress had given the President authority to waive sanctions on India and Pakistan on a number of items such as non-military aid programmes, foreign assistance, commercial financing and Export Import Bank financing.

``The relationship between India and the United States has become one of the most significant emerging relationships in the world. We are logical partners on a very wide range of issues and these sanctions only slow the development of that relationship'', Mr. McDermott said. And Congressman from California, Mr. Royce, argued that these sanctions are ``counter- productive to U.S. efforts to engage India''.

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