HT This Day: September 24, 2001 — US lifts sanctions on India, Pakistan
The Bush administration in recent months repeatedly held that the sanctions have outlived their usefulness. Removal of sanctions against India has been on the cards for long.
Washington: The United States has lifted the 1998 economic and military sanctions against both India and Pakistan. President Bush proclaimed the waiver on Saturday night in the midst of American preparations for a military offensive against Afghanistan.
The administration’s swift move, after months of vacillation, is largely being viewed as a bid to reward Pakistan for its logistical support to the impending operation against Osama bin Laden. Removal of sanctions against India has been on the cards for long.
“I hereby determine and certify to the Congress that the application to India and Pakistan of the sanctions and prohibitions contained in ... the Arms Export Control Act would not be in the national security interests of the United States,” Bush said in a memorandum released by the White House.
Clarifying the scope of Bush’s order, US Secretary of State Colin Powell today said the lifting of sanctions against India and Pakistan was partial. While the post-nuclear sanctions were being lifted, other sanctions would remain, he said. Powell said some wanted Bush to go further but he decided to lift only the post-nuclear sanctions.
So, additional sanctions imposed on Pakistan after General Musharraf’s coup in 1999, remain.
In India’s case, the Clinton administration had waived a substantial number of commercial restrictions, but key sanctions related to military sales, transfer of dual-use technology and economic assistance through international financial institutions remained in place.
Speaking to the Hindustan Times, Indian Ambassador Lalit Mansingh said his expectation was that all these restrictions, including the ones on dual-use technology, were now out of the way. He was, however, awaiting details of the order, which could become available later today or tomorrow.
Some of the restrictions on the export of dual-use technology predate the 1998 sanctions.
There is little doubt that Pakistan, as opposed to India, stands to gain far more. Besides reviving US economic and military cooperation, Islamabad is counting on Washington’s support for a massive IMF assistance. It also looks forward to the rescheduling of $600 million in debt through the Paris club of creditors.
India, too, should be able to overcome roadblocks in multilateral financial forums and expect to get a wide range of development assistance. After the 1998 sanctions by developed countries like US, Japan and Canada, it has had to rest content with humanitarian aid.
The Bush administration in recent months repeatedly held that the sanctions have outlived their usefulness.
Yet, Pakistan did not figure when senior officials debated moves to lift the curbs. But developments following the September 11 attacks have swung things in Islamabad’s favour.
With Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Joseph Biden reversing his earlier stand and endorsing the move to reciprocate Pakistan’s support for the Afghan operation, a big hurdle was removed and the administration then acted without wasting a moment.