[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 99 (Wednesday, July 22, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1389-E1390]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 TOWARD A RENEWED FRIENDSHIP WITH INDIA

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. ROD R. BLAGOJEVICH

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 22, 1998

  Mr. BLAGOJEVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about India, 
particularly the relationship of the United States with that country. 
Over the course of 3 days this May, India conducted five nuclear 
weapons tests. In response, United States law brought about the 
imposition of punitive sanctions on India. Those tests changed the 
world's political landscape in ways we cannot yet hope to understand. 
Naturally, the relationship between India and the United States has 
also been changed, and, like most change, this change has raised many 
fears. Some fear that the tests and the resulting sanctions have caused 
hard feelings that will be difficult to erase. Others fear that India's 
emergence as a nuclear power makes it difficult for the United States 
to have anything but an adversarial relationship with India.
  These fears are to be expected, but we cannot permit our fears to 
prevent us from taking the steps we need to take to build a more solid 
relationship with India. The challenge for America will be wheather we 
can use this opportunity to redefine the relationship between the 
United States and India for the 21st Century. Even before these tests, 
Indo-American relations were in need of a reassessment. A decade ago, 
the end of the Cold War called for unprecedented change in U.S. foreign 
policy. Elsewhere, American policy planners responded with new ideas of 
how to work with other nations, even former adversaries, to build a 
better world. Yet our relationship with India remained locked in a Cold 
War mind set, too rigid to respond to new geopolitical realities. This 
must change.
  India is the world's largest democracy. Within our lifetimes, it is 
expected to become the world's largest country. A strong relationship 
with India is a benefit to the United States not only geopolitically, 
but commercially as well. The vastness of its potential wealth is only 
now being discovered by the world. The people of India have known of 
that wealth for centuries. That wealth is woven into India's history, 
land, and culture. But the true source of India's wealth is its people. 
The people of India share the values of freedom and democracy with the 
people of our own country. As proud, established democracies, the 
United States and India have more that unites us than divides us. The 
United States should make clear that we oppose the proliferation of 
weapons of mass destruction as the number one threat to global peace 
and security. But we must also concentrate our efforts on reducing the 
threats that cause governments to turn to these weapons as a deterrent.
  Like many of my colleagues, I am optimistic about the planned meeting 
between the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan in Sri Lanka later 
this month. I am hopeful that this meeting will further reduce tensions 
in the region by contributing to an atmosphere of dialogue and open 
minds.
  Clearly, tensions in the region have to be solved through bilateral 
negotiations. Difficult issues like the Kashmir question must not be 
allowed to lead to further armed conflict.

[[Page E1390]]

Agreements that call for continued dialogue and peace like the Shimla 
agreement could provide an ideal framework for this purpose.
  With or without nuclear weapons, India is and will be a world power. 
The question for America is whether we can build a relationship that 
permits the United States and India to begin the next century as 
partners. America must acknowledge the reality of a strong, modern 
India. We must voice our disagreements, but in the context of 
celebrating our shared values and vision. Close to 1 million Americans 
of Indian origin live in the United States and contribute greatly to 
the economic, cultural and technical development of our country. I have 
full confidence that America can and will embrace this challenge.

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