Chidambaram joins Reps. Pallone, McDermott, Crowley to say there is a need for U.S. to remain engaged in S. Asia

Washington : Three leading United States Congressmen last week urged Pakistan to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure along the India-Pakistan border to ensure the success of New Delhi’s new agenda for peace in the region. They said the Bush administration should also help both countries in restarting a dialogue to bring about stability in the region.

The three Congressmen were speaking at a Congressional reception in honor of visiting former finance minister P. Chidambaram. The event was marked the 10th anniversary of the Congressional Caucus on India and the Indian Americans.

Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ), founder and former co-chair of the India Caucus, said it was commendable that Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee took the initiative for a dialogue with Pakistan despite the atmosphere of hostility created by terrorist incursions into Kashmir and the killings of Hindus there. “This is a strong indication of that India and the Indian people believe in peace,” he said at the event, held at Rayburn House here on May 19.

He said the U.S. ought to help the two nations achieve peace. Stability in the region could lead to the establishment of a free trade zone which could vastly contribute to the economic development of South Asia, Pallone said.

Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA), also a former co-chair of the caucus, said both India and Pakistan should reduce tensions and find peace in Kashmir. Both the nations today spend a lot of money and resources on the military to keep vigil on the borders. If this expenditure was cut down, it would go a long way in helping both the nations achieve economic prosperity, he said.

He also hailed Prime Minister Vajpayee’s efforts to find peace against odds and expressed the hope that it would lead to regional stability.

Rep. Joe Crowley (D-NY), the current co-chair of the India Caucus, echoed the views of the other lawmakers when he urged Pakistan to put an end to border incursions and to dismantle terrorist training camps to help push forward the peace initiatives for Kashmir. He, too, felt the U.S. should do everything possible to stay “engaged” in the region and help the two South Asian rivals find a lasting peace.

He expressed the hope that India would one day find its place as a leader in global affairs because it has the world’s largest middle class population, has high technical resources and lastly because it is a nuclear power.

Chidambaram also commended Prime Minister Vajpayee for his peace initiatives. He said: “Our relations with Pakistan have seen ups and downs, but there is no substitute for negotiations. War is not an answer. We fought three wars and another mini war did not solve the Kashmir problem. So I do not believe another war will solve the problem. The only solution is to begin talks. It is not going to be an easy one. But it is well worth the effort because Kashmir has been a drag and drain on the resources of both the countries... The road to peace is going to be long and winding and the credit goes to Vajpayee for making a beginning.” Washington, in its own way, is trying to help and India should remain engaged with the U.S., he added.

Chidambaram, who has visited New Jersey, Columbus, Detroit, Chicago, Houston and Atlanta, lauded the India Caucus for being a “vital instrument to forge better relations between India and the U.S. in the last 10 years.”

He said there were simmering differences between the Government of India and the U.S. government. But it was the India Caucus which helped hammer out these differences. The reception for Chidambaram was organized by the National Council of Asian Indian Associations of Maryland and the AIMS India Foundation of Virginia.