[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 10 (Thursday, January 25, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E103]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            FAREWELL AND THANK YOU TO INDIA'S AMBASSADOR RAY

                                 ______


                         HON. ROBERT E. ANDREWS

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 25, 1996

  Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to bid farewell to a close 
friend in the diplomatic community, Ambassador Siddhartha Shankar Ray 
of India. Ambassador Ray's work here has greatly improved the 
relationship between the United States and India. During his tenure, he 
focused not only on government-to-government relations, but on 
business-to-business relations as well. He returns to India to run for 
elected office, and I am sure he will serve his constituents well.
  Ambassador Ray is no stranger to elected life. Before coming to 
Washington both he and his wife served as Members of Parliament. He 
served in both majority and minority positions in his home state of 
West Bengal, and served as the Minister of Education, Social Welfare, 
and Culture in the Indian Cabinet. Before his appointment as Ambassador 
to the United States, he served as Governor of Punjab.
  Ambassador Ray has always understood that good relations with the 
United States would have to be built upon with more than just political 
diplomacy. He has focused a considerable amount of his efforts on 
improving business relations between our two nations. Following the 
dramatic economic reforms instituted by Prime Minister Rao in 1991, 
Ambassador Ray worked hard to encourage United States companies to go 
into India. He knew that having American business leaders meet their 
Indian counterparts would improve relations.
  Because of his efforts, a number of high-level American officials 
traveled to India to promote United States investment there. Commerce 
Secretary Brown and Energy Secretary O`Leary both led delegations that 
succeeded in finalizing multibillion-dollar deals. From India, both the 
Prime Minister and the Finance Minister came to spread a message of 
opportunity and goodwill.
  I join with my colleagues in thanking Ambassador Ray for his service, 
and I wish both him and his wife happiness in the future.

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