NEW DELHI: A group of leading American corporations said on March 28 it opposed linking trade with India to human-rights issues.
Michael Gadhaw vice-president ‘and senior counsel of General Electric Company and vice-president of India Interest Group (IIG) said commercial relations between the United States and India were too important to tangle with human rights issues.
The whole issue of trade and human rights is not new to India U.S. business has to face it everywhere but is not favorable to linking them he told a meeting of Indian businessmen.
We are asking for a balanced approach within which our commercial and economic interests are pursued along with other policy objectives’’ he added. We should not be overly obsessed with political issues to the complete exclusion of business issues Gadbaw said.
India’s political relations with Washington have been tense over allegations of human-rights abuses including action by Indian security forces fighting a Moslem uprising in northern Kashmir state.
Political analysis say a recent fence-mending visit by U.S Assistant Secretary of State Robin Raphel and a forthcoming visit by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott may improve relations.
Talbott is expected 10 bring an Invitation from U.S President Bill Clinton for Indian Prime Minister P.V Narasimha Rao to visit Washington.
At the same time a 15-member U.S Asia Society team including former U.S. trade representative Carla is touring South Asia to help improve U.S relations in the region.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 1, 1994
