BUDGET 2000
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
COMMENTARY
GOVT&ECONOMY
Y2K: BIZ FEATURES
INDIA & THE WTO
CREDIT POLICY
BIZ IN THE USA
CARS & MOBIKES
MANAGEMENT
CASE STUDY
BIZ-QUIZ
USEFUL INFO
ARCHIVES
NEWSLINKS
SEARCH REDIFF

US may lift sanctions when Prime Minister Vajpayee visits US in Sept or Oct

The United States is likely to lift some of the remaining nuclear-related sanctions against India in the run up to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's state visit to the US scheduled for September/October.

An indication to this effect was given by US officials at a meeting with Indian Americans who were given a special briefing in Washington on President Bill Clinton's visit to India last month.

Leaders of Indian American groups were informed that some of the sanctions had already been lifted after India's unilateral declaration against conducting any more tests.

The 90-minute meeting took stock of the visit, promising to build on the momentum created by President Clinton's visit in bilateral relations.

The process would get strengthened during Vajpayee's coming tour.

Indian Americans reportedly urged the US to make public its support for India's demand for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council.

They also drew the US officials' attention to Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.

Assistant secretary of state Karl Inderfurth, senior director of South-Asian affairs at the National Security Council Bruce Riedel, and South Asian affairs director B Donald were among those present at the meeting.

Prominent Indian Americans who attended the meeting included Indian American Forum for Political Education, or IAFPE, president Swadesh Chatterjee, its former president Joy Cherian, Indian American Foundation president Sunil Aghi, Democratic National Committee Trustee, Ramesh Kapur and community activist Shekhar Tiwari.

UNI

Nuclear bomb and economic sanctions: full coverage

Business