The Hindu : International / India & World : Kissinger hails pact

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 22, 2006

International

International - India & World

Kissinger hails pact

An unprecedented level of cooperation, says the ex-Secretary of State

Henry Kissinger

Washington: The India-U.S. nuclear deal "promises to make a seminal contribution to international peace and prosperity," according to the former Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger.

Welcoming the agreement as "an unprecedented level of cooperation and interdependence between the two powers," he said: "In a period preoccupied with concerns over terrorism and the potential clash of civilisations, the emerging cooperation between the two great democracies, India and the U.S., introduces a positive and hopeful perspective."

"Too often America's India policy is justified as a way to contain China. But the reality has been that so far, India and America have found it in their interest to maintain a constructive relationship with China," Mr. Kissinger, who was Secretary of State between 1973 and 1977, wrote in The Washington Post on Monday.

"America's global strategy benefits from the Indian participation in building a new world order. But India will not serve as America's foil with China, and will resent any attempts to use it in that role," he said.

Mr. Kissinger suggested that the scope of the nuclear cooperation should avoid the rhetoric and the reality of a nuclear arms race in which China could be tempted to support nuclear programmes in Iran and Pakistan as a counter-weight.

The goal should be an Asia that navigates between an unacceptable hegemony by any power and an arms race that replicates in Asia the tragedies of Europe, only with weapons and even vaster consequences, he said.

UNI

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail