[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000, Book I)]
[March 21, 2000]
[Pages 498-502]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



The President's News Conference With Prime Minister Atal Behari 
Vajpayee of India in New Delhi
March 21, 2000

    Prime Minister Vajpayee. I am delighted to welcome President Clinton 
to India. His visit provides us a unique opportunity for historic 
confirmation in our relations. We have just concluded a very productive 
meeting. President Clinton and I have had an indepth exchange of views 
on many subjects. Our two delegations have also held extensive 
discussions. Our discussions have been warm, friendly, and candid, 
reflecting our common desire to build a new relationship of mutual trust 
and respect.
    Our objective is to forge a durable, politically constructive and 
economically productive partnership between the world's two largest 
democracies. I think with President Clinton's visit and

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our meeting today, we have laid a firm foundation for the future.
    President Clinton and I have just signed a vision statement. The 
statement outlines the contours of and defines the agenda of our 
partnership in the 21st century. We both agreed that our commitment to 
the principles and practice of democracy constitutes the bedrock of our 
relations and for our cooperative efforts internationally for peace, 
prosperity, and democratic freedom.
    We have also concluded agreements and understandings on the 
establishment of very wide-ranging dialog architecture. Closer contacts 
between our business and scientific communities will be encouraged. Both 
countries will endeavor to enhance trade and investment, cooperate in 
energy and environment, and to draw upon the vast array of talent, 
especially in the area of information technology and frontier sciences, 
for the betterment of the lives of their peoples.
    We share a common concern at the growing threat of terrorist 
violence and its links with religious extremism and illegal trade in 
narcotics. Both of us expressed our firm opposition to the use of any 
form of violence, whether as an instrument of terror against democratic 
society or as a means of realizing territorial ambition. Nothing 
justifies the use of such matters against innocent people. We expressed 
our determination to intensify our cooperation in this area.
    President Clinton and I had a frank discussion on the issues of 
disarmament and nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The 
dialog which is in progress between our two countries on these issues 
has enhanced the mutual understanding of our respective concerns. I've 
explained to President Clinton the reasons that compel us to maintain a 
minimum nuclear deterrent. I have reiterated our firm commitment not to 
conduct further nuclear explosive tests, not to engage in a nuclear arms 
race, and not to be the first to use nuclear weapons against any 
country.
    We have resolved to continue a dialog and to work together in 
cooperation with other countries to help bring about a peaceful and 
secure world completely free of the threat of all weapons of mass 
destruction.
    In our discussion of regional issues, I reiterated our policy of 
developing friendly and cooperative relations with all our neighbors in 
accordance with established principles of good neighborly relations, 
respect for each of their sovereignty and territorial integrity, and on 
the basis of agreements solemnly entered into. India remains committed 
to resolving its difference with its neighbors through peaceful 
bilateral dialog and in an atmosphere free from the thought of force and 
violence.
    We agreed that problems between countries of the region should be 
resolved peacefully by the concerned countries themselves. As a means of 
implementing our agenda, a partnership in the 21st century, we have 
agreed to regular summit meetings. President Clinton has invited me to 
Washington; I am delighted to accept.
    The President will have the opportunity over the next few days to 
see the rich cultural, linguistic, and religious diversity of our 
country, to experience the warmth and friendship of our people, to 
witness the delicate blend of tradition and modernity in our society, 
and to feel the democratic pulse of our large nation. I wish the 
President and the members of his delegation a very pleasant stay in 
India.
    In that end, I would like to make some remarks on the tragic events 
in Jammu and Kashmir yesterday. The brutal massacre of 36 Sikhs in Jammu 
and Kashmir last night is further evidence of the ethnic cleansing that 
has been underway for a decade and is part of a pattern that we have 
experienced earlier, including during my visit to Lahore last year. The 
nation and the entire civilized community is outraged at this 
premeditated act of barbarism and joins us in condemning this act.
    The attempt at cloaking ethnic terrorism in the guise of jihad 
carries no conviction. We and the international community reject the 
notion that jihad can be a part of any civilized country's foreign 
policy. None should doubt the determination of the people of India to 
safeguard the secular unity of our society.
    Together we have defeated all of the challenges in the past, and we 
shall do so again. We have the means and the will to eliminate this 
menace.
    Thank you.
    President Clinton. Thank you, Prime Minister, for your remarks and 
for the warm welcome that you, your delegation, and the people of India 
have given to me and my family and the Americans who have come with me.
    It has been 22 years since a United States President has visited 
this country. Of course, that is not much time in the grand sweep of

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India's civilization, but it is close to half your history since 
becoming independent. That is far too long, and this day is therefore 
long overdue. I am glad to be here.
    As the world's two largest democracies, we are united in believing 
that every person's dignity should be respected and every person's 
potential fulfilled. There is no better example of the power of freedom 
and opportunity to liberate human potential than the success that 
Americans of Indian heritage have enjoyed in our Nation.
    I have come to India because I want us to build a dynamic and 
lasting partnership, based on mutual respect and mutual benefit. India 
and America should be better friends and stronger partners. In a world 
of increasing globalization, our futures plainly are intertwined. Today 
we have agreed to hold regular meetings between our heads of government 
and top officials. I thank the Prime Minister for accepting my 
invitation to visit the United States later this year. We have just 
signed, as you know, a joint vision statement that outlines the goals we 
share and the challenges we face.
    The world has become a better place as more nations have joined us 
on the unfolding path of democracy. We want democracy to spread and 
deepen, to protect human rights, including the rights of women and 
minorities.
    This June our two countries will convene the Community of 
Democracies meeting in Warsaw. I thank the Prime Minister for the 
leadership of India in this important endeavor. And I'm pleased that our 
National Endowment for Democracy, the Confederation of Indian Industry, 
and the Bureau of Parliamentary Studies here will organize the Asian 
Center for Democratic Governance, based here in New Delhi, to share our 
common experience with the hope of advancing freedom across Asia.
    Both our nations now enjoy strong economic growth. Both are 
pioneering the information revolution. Today we've reached agreement to 
bring more jobs and opportunities to our people, to accelerate trade 
between us, to help India's financial markets and assist its small 
businesses, to institute a regular economic dialog between our 
Governments.
    We both face, still, the challenges of better educating our 
children, lifting them from poverty, protecting them from disease and 
environmental peril. Today, these are global challenges; what happens in 
one nation affects others across their borders. We have agreed to face 
these challenges together. And together we can succeed.
    Finally, both our nations want a peaceful future. I recognize that 
India has real security concerns. We certainly share your outrage and 
heartbreak over last night's brutal attack in Kashmir. We offer our 
profoundest sympathies to the people, especially to the families of the 
victims. It reminds us of what tremendous suffering this conflict has 
caused India. The violence must end. This should be a time for 
restraint, for respect for the Line of Control, for renewed lines of 
communication.
    I also stressed that at a time when most nations, including the 
United States and Russia, are making real progress in moving away from 
nuclear weapons, the world needs India to lead in the same direction.
    While I am here, I will have the opportunity to speak with Indians 
about these issues and listen, as I have today, to the concerns of 
India's leaders and its people. Then our discussions will continue after 
I leave. I say again, we have neglected this relationship for more than 
two decades. It is too important to ever fall into disrepair again. I am 
committed to building a stronger partnership. And we are committed to 
building a better world.
    I look forward to spending the next 4 days here, meeting with your 
people, learning more about a rich history and culture I have long 
admired, and strengthening a friendship that, indeed, is critical to the 
future of the entire planet.
    Thank you very much.
    Q. [Inaudible]
    President Clinton. Thank you. I'll come get it when we finish the 
questions, how's that?

India-U.S. Relations

    Q. This question is addressed to the Prime Minister. How did your 
one-to-one talks go, and what are your expectations of the future of 
India-U.S. relations?
    Prime Minister Vajpayee. I'm glad you asked that question. As you 
can see, our talks have gone very well. We discussed substantive issues 
relating to bilateral relations. We discussed the situation in South 
Asia in a very frank and candid manner. I'm sure, as a result of this 
visit and as a result of the discussion, a new chapter is being added 
into our bilateral relations.

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Nuclear Nonproliferation

    Q. Mr. President, did you make any progress, did you achieve any 
progress today in persuading Prime Minister Vajpayee to take any of the 
specific steps that you have urged to restrain India's nuclear program, 
specifically, signing the CTBT, banning the production of fissile 
materials, and tightening export controls? If you didn't make any 
progress today and if you don't in the future, how close can this new 
relationship that you both have spoken of become?
    President Clinton. Well, first of all, on this whole 
nonproliferation issue, we have had a dialog that has gone on for some 
time now under the leadership of Mr. Singh and 
Mr. Talbott. And I would like to thank the 
Indian Government for that work.
    Secondly, I felt today that there was a possibility that we could 
reach more common ground on the issues of testing, on the production of 
fissile material, on export controls, and on restraint, generally.
    With regard to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, you heard the 
Prime Minister's statement about his position on testing. I would hope 
that the democratic process will produce a signing and, ultimately, a 
ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban in India, just like I hope 
the democratic process will ultimately produce a ratification of the 
Test Ban Treaty in America that I signed. These are contentious issues. 
But I'm actually quite optimistic about our ability to make progress on 
them.
    And again, I thank the Prime Minister for sanctioning what I think 
has been a very honest and thoroughgoing dialog. We've been working on 
this for some time, and we will continue to do it. And I believe we will 
wind up in a common position.

Situation in Kashmir

    Q. This question is addressed to both President Clinton and Prime 
Minister Vajpayee. Thirty-five people were massacred in the valley 
yesterday, and both of you have expressed outrage at the incident. In 
the context of ongoing India-U.S. cooperation on counterterrorism, what 
are your reactions to this, and did this come up during your discussions 
on terrorism?
    President Clinton. Would you like to go first, Prime Minister?
    Let me ask you this, could you just repeat just the question you 
asked? Did this come up in our discussions--yes, it did. Ask me the 
previous question you asked. I want to make sure I understood it.
    Q. In the context of ongoing India-U.S. cooperation on 
counterterrorism, did you discuss this issue in terms of--did you 
discuss this in the context of international terrorism? And did this 
question come up just in terms of the violence?
    President Clinton. Well, first of all, we discussed it at some 
length, and I expressed privately to the Prime Minister my outrage about 
it--apparently the first targeting of the Sikhs in Kashmir. I don't 
think--the answer to your question is, I don't suppose it came up in the 
context of overall terrorism in the sense that it just happened last 
night. We have to know who did it before there could be a conclusion 
about that.
    But I think that the targeting of innocent civilians is the worst 
thing about modern conflicts today. And the extent to which more and 
more people seem to believe it is legitimate to target innocent 
civilians to reach their larger political goals, I think that's 
something that has to be resisted at every turn. There should be less 
violence in Kashmir, not more. And when people take on others, they 
ought to be those that have the responsibility for defending--if 
somebody wants to fight, at least they ought to leave the civilians 
alone.
    I think this is a horrible development in Kashmir, but unfortunately 
it's becoming all too common around the world. And one of the things 
that I hope we'll be able to do together is to reduce the incidence of 
violence against innocent civilians, not only here but in other parts of 
the world as well.
    Q. Mr. Prime Minister, if you'd like?
    Prime Minister Vajpayee. I have nothing more to add.
    Q. Thank you. Mr. President, you said in February that South Asia 
was perhaps the most dangerous place in the world today. Given the 
massacre yesterday and the increasing nuclear tensions, do you think 
that the risk of another war is increasing?
    And to the Prime Minister, sir, who do you hold responsible for the 
massacre yesterday, and what do you mean when you say, ``We have the 
will and the means to eliminate this menace''?

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    President Clinton. Your turn. [Laughter]
    Prime Minister Vajpayee. I'll take my turn. [Laughter] I'm sure 
after visiting this part of the world, the President will come to the 
conclusion that the situation is not so bad as it is made out to be. 
There are differences; there have been clashes; there is the problem of 
cross-country terrorism; innocent people are being killed. But there is 
no threat of any war. India is committed to peaceful means. We are 
prepared to solve all problems, discuss all problems on the table. We do 
not think in terms of war, and nobody should think in those terms in 
this subcontinent.
    So far as the massacre is concerned, it's a brutal act, an outrage. 
This is not for the first time; it has been going on. And whenever there 
are chances of both countries coming together--and at the people-to-
people level our relations are very good, as I realized when I visited 
Lahore--but there is a deliberate design to foment trouble, to encourage 
killing, mass murders, to sabotage any attempt to bring about normalcy 
in this part of the world. This policy is not going to pay. And I hope 
this question will be discussed by the President in Islamabad.
    Q. Mr. President.
    President Clinton. Terry [Terence Hunt, Associated Press], to go 
back to the questions you asked me. First of all, I was encouraged by 
what the Prime Minister said to me in private, which was just what he 
said to you in public, that he did not want any of the difficulties that 
we have been discussing today to become the occasion for war.
    I have basically four beliefs about this whole thing, and I can 
state them very concisely. First, I think that that sort of restraint is 
something that everyone on the subcontinent should practice. Second, I 
think there must be a respect for the Line of Control. Third, I think 
some way must be found to renew the dialog.
    The Prime Minister did, I thought, a brave thing in participating in 
the Lahore process. He took some risks to do it. He'd always said that 
just the facts of geography and shared history called upon him to do 
that. But you cannot expect a dialog to go forward unless there is an 
absence of violence and a respect for the Line of Control.
    And the last thing that I would say is, I doubt very seriously that 
there is a military solution to the difficulties that the Kashmiris 
face. And that makes the death of these Sikhs all the more tragic and 
the importance of trying to restart the dialog all the more important, 
not just over this but other issues as well.
    And the Prime Minister said he hoped I would say that in Islamabad, 
and I will. I don't believe--one of the nice things about having you 
folks with us all the time is that we can't get away with saying one 
thing in one place and a different thing in another. We almost have to 
say the same thing everywhere, or you'll find us out. So I can tell you 
that this is my same message: Respect the Line of Control; show 
restraint; stand against violence; restore the dialog.
    Thank you.

Note: The President's 188th news conference began at 1:03 p.m. in the 
garden at the Hyderabad House. In his remarks, the President referred to 
Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh of India and U.S. Deputy Secretary of 
State Strobe Talbott.