NEW DELHI:”I am most definitely bullish about the future of Indo-US relations and about India itself.” This was stated by Thomas R.Pickering, the new US Ambassador to India, in his maiden public speech here recently, at a function organized by the Indo-US Joint Business Council.
In his remarks which were marked by a distinctly conciliatory tone, Pickering stated that differences between the two countries could be resolved amicably.
It’s very important for us to remember that friends can and often do disagree and still remain friends,” he said, adding “Indeed, all mature relationships between friendly countries strive to manage their inevitable differences in ways which do not denigrate or negate the basic friendship and mutual support between them.”
The US Ambassador, who presented his credentials to the Indian President, was of the view that American businessmen and women were impressed by the economic reforms in the country but also wanted follow-up action. What was decided, he felt, was “continuity and consistency” in politics as well as “transparency and predictability” to step up the flow of American investment to the country.
On the disputes between the two countries on intellectual property rights, Pickering remarked: “While we would prefer to have the issue resolved multIi laterally, within the gambit of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), we are also pursuing its bilaterally.”
According to him, the “good news” was that despite the host of issues on which the US and India had divergent stances “were talking about them openly, without politics, without ideological straightjackets,”
Pickering said that while the Governments of the two countries had followed different agendas for most of the past 45 years and “it sometimes sounded like a dialogue of the deal, the point to be emphasized was that “Washington and New Delhi are now listening closely and hearing each other more clearly than ever before.” Earlier, welcoming Pickering to the Indo-US meeting, the Council Chairman, industrialist Raunaq Singh wondered if the trade pact between USA, Mexico and Canada were not inconsistent with GATT principles and whether the formation of such trading blocs would cause businessmen to look inwards. Calling for negotiations in a spirit of “give and take,” Singh expressed optimism that the Uruguay Round of GATT negotiations would be concluded and would “bear fruit.”
Speaking on the occasion, N. Sankar, President of the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India, said an extra endeavor would have to made to attract small and medium companies in the US to invest in India, He felt the outstanding problems between the two countries could be solved with political will and a constructive approach.
In his concluding remarks, the co-Chairman of the Indo-US JC, L.M. Thapar pointed out that it was just American business who wanted greater transparency and consistency in economic policies. Indian business also wanted the same, He was optimistic about the future of the economic relations between the two countries since “the night strides were being made.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 4, 1992
