[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 32 (Tuesday, March 2, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E316]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                 INDIA-UNITED STATES MULTILATERAL TALKS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ROBERT E. ANDREWS

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 2, 1999

  Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank and congratulate 
United States Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbot and Indian 
Minister of External Affairs Jaswant Singh for their efforts in the 
most recent phase of bi-lateral talks between India and the United 
States. Though the full details of the talks remain undisclosed, as 
they should, all reports are that much progress is being made in 
strengthening relations of the two countries.
  I fully acknowledge and support the United States' foreign policy 
principle of opposing nuclear proliferation, but I would also like to 
take this opportunity to recognize that exceptions to that principle 
may occasionally be warranted Such exceptions should be based on the 
security needs of a nation, the entirety of that nation's 
relationship--economic, cultural, and diplomatic--with the United 
States, and the nation's willingness to participate in international 
arms control efforts.
  Based on such criteria, I assert that India is a good candidate for 
such an exception to United States non-proliferation policy and would 
like to voice my hope that Mr. Talbot is working hard to lift remaining 
multilateral sanctions against India, especially the remaining World 
Bank lending sanctions. Again, I would like to express my thanks to Mr. 
Talbot and Mr. Singh for their hard work in this vital arena, 
congratulate them on their success thus far, and wish them the best in 
the future negotiations.

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