02 April 2000

Byliner: Secretary of State Albright on Proliferation in South Asia

(This column by Secretary of State Madeleine Albright first appeared in Diario las Americas of Miami, Florida,
April 2 and is in the public domain, no copyright restrictions.)

Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright
Op-Ed on the President's Trip to South Asia
printed in Diario las Americas
Miami, Florida, April 2, 2000
U.S. Department of State

Last month, I traveled with President Clinton to South Asia. We made stops in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. This region of rapidly increasing importance to the United States offers opportunities and challenges. Democratic institutions are vibrant in India, growing in Bangladesh and threatened in Pakistan. Economic prosperity based on reform, entrepreneurial innovation and entry into the global economy offers hope of a better future for over a billion people. But the threats of conflict, nuclear and missile proliferation, international terror, environmental degradation, drug trafficking and disease loom over all.

In the three countries that we visited, we strove to help fulfill the great promise of this vast region. In India, the centerpiece of this trip, our two democracies signed a statement on "U.S.-India Relations: A Vision for the 21st Century," pledging to deepen our partnership in the search for international peace, equitable economic growth, environmental and scientific advances, and many other areas. In Bangladesh, we offered support for the example set by this country of moderate Muslim democracy, successful development, and empowerment of all citizens including women. In Pakistan, the President spoke directly to this nation's 140 million people and promised to walk with them if their country chooses the path of democracy, rejection of violence and terrorism, and cooperation in the quest for regional reconciliation.

The President was particularly concerned about the need to resolve the confrontation between India and Pakistan and the imperative of halting the spread of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery. He delivered a strong message in this regard in both capitals. He called for both governments to respect the Line of Control that divides Kashmir, exercise restraint with respect to violence, and to resume their dialogue. In addition, the President stressed that the people of Kashmir must have a way to have their concerns and grievances addressed.

A return to dialogue between India and Pakistan is particularly important now. Tensions have risen dangerously since the fighting last spring and summer in the Kargil sector of Kashmir, the October coup in Islamabad and the hijacking of an Indian airliner in December. With restraint on both sides, a new beginning could be made on the talks begun last February between the Indian and Pakistani Prime Ministers.

The United States regards proliferation -- anywhere -- as our Number One security concern. We continue to seek universal adherence to the Non Proliferation Treaty. We believe the Indian and Pakistani nuclear tests of May 1998 were a historic mistake and continue to urge them to take steps to prevent a nuclear and missile arms race, such as those outlined in United Nations Security Council Resolution 1172. We recognize fully that India and Pakistan have the sovereign right to make decisions about what is necessary for the defense of their interests. But a pattern of steeply rising defense budgets in Asia would serve neither the subcontinent's security interests nor its development needs.

We believe that adherence to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty would advance India and Pakistan's security interests, as would steps to strengthen both countries' export controls and a global treaty to ban the production of fissile material for weapons -- and pending that, a multilateral moratorium.

The fundamental goal of President Clinton's visit to India was to set our course for a qualitatively different and better relationship with India, not a simple return to the status quo before its nuclear tests. The limits on our ability to cooperate with India, and Pakistan, are a matter of U.S. law, as well as our international obligations. Achieving the level of cooperation with India that we both desire will depend on progress made toward non--proliferation.

The United States' approach to non-proliferation is global. We cannot abandon it simply because we desire an improved relationship. Any other stance would break faith with all the nations -- from South Africa to South America to the former Soviet Republics -- who have made difficult decisions to strengthen their own security and the cause of nonproliferation by joining the NPT.

The Cold War's end opened up new opportunities to work toward a world in which the risks and roles of nuclear weapons can be reduced, and ultimately eliminated. It would be tragic if actions now being taken led the world not toward seizing these opportunities, but instead toward new risks of nuclear war.

Our continuing dialogue with India and Pakistan on security and non-proliferation issues is part of our global efforts in this regard. We will continue to discuss how to pursue security requirements without contributing to a costly and destabilizing nuclear missile and arms race.

(Madeleine Albright is the U.S. Secretary of State)

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: usinfo.state.gov)