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India conveys concerns to U.S. over a slew of issues

NEW YORK: India conveyed its concerns to the U.S. over the H-1B visa fee increase, export control restrictions and the ban on outsourcing, at a meeting between External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton here on Monday.

“Our concerns have been raised, and we have spoken our views about the risks inherent in protectionist trends that often detract from the positive impulses of cooperation in trade and economic interaction between the two countries,” Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, who was present at the meeting, told reporters.

“I think that was also understood by the U.S. administration …, and they were agreeable to the fact that we need to discuss these issues and try to resolve them,” she said. However, Ms. Rao said the spat over the visa fee increase should be viewed only as a small part of a larger relationship between the two countries. “...The sum of the relationship is greater than its parts, and what we have is growing strategic dialogue and growing partnership between the two countries.”

The Americans also noted that in a large and complicated relationship, there were bound to be some irritants. “But I think what unites us is the fact that there is so much good and so much superb cooperation that is taking place, so I think that good common cooperation will help carry us through a lot of these irritants,” Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Robert Blake said.

As for the control of the export of high-tech items to India, Mr. Blake said: “The U.S. is looking to find a positive way forward. We are not quite there yet. So we need to continue to work on that. And again, I am confident of a positive outcome.” — PTI

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