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McDermott: ISI activities a matter of concern to India, U.S.

K.V. Prasad

The lawmaker has suggested to Obama that he make India his first stop

Jim McDermott

NEW DELHI: A leading American lawmaker, Jim McDermott of the Democratic Party, feels that the activities of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence “are of mutual concern” to both India and the United States and that Washington would remain engaged in its effort to resolve problems in Afghanistan, tribal areas and Pakistan.

Mr. McDermott, elected to represent the 7th district of Washington State for the 12th term, has suggested to President-elect Barack Obama that he make India his first international stop. The Congressman visualised that geopolitical events will make relationship between the two democracies “more intense” and make it imperative for Washington to have an excellent working relationship with New Delhi.

Having made the recommendation to Mr. Obama’s transition team before the Mumbai terror attacks, Mr. McDermott told The Hindu that while the events in Mumbai drew the issues of Afghanistan and Kashmir “closer and closer to each other so that it is impossible to solve one without convening all the players at the table, I do not know at this time if a special envoy makes sense. The activities of the ISI are of mutual concern to our countries.”

As co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, Mr. McDermott is of the view that now with a stronger Democratic Congress and a Democrat in the White House, the new President and the U.S. Congress will re-establish America’s leadership role in global affairs, emphasising diplomatic engagement while respecting the sovereignty of nations.

“This will rebuild trust in us as a partner and can lead to finding common ground and commitment to work together on difficult issues,” he said, in response to a question what both Congress and the White House would do to strengthen Pakistan’s civilian government for reining in its army, the ISI and “non-State elements.”

Asked whether the next Congress would have greater oversight on Pakistan in tackling terror on its soil and preventing its spread, Mr. McDermott said it was necessary to take a comprehensive view of what was going on instead of making a fragmented, disconnected response.

Mr. McDermott piloted a resolution on December 11 (HR 1532) in the House of Representatives condemning the Mumbai terror attacks.

A strong advocate of granting work permits to people trained in the U.S., he said the 111th Congress would have to get down to immigration reform in all its manifestations but was not prepared to endorse expansion of the H1B visas cap.

Mr. McDermott, who voted against the U.S.-India Nuclear Cooperation Approval and Nuclear Non-Proliferation Enhancement Act this September, said that while his friendship with India “has not [changed] and will never change,” the Act was not in India’s best interest.

“As presented to the House, the legislation undermines the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and that can only serve to destabilise the region in the coming years. In my judgment, there were insufficient safeguards in the bill and that worries me greatly. With nuclear-armed India and Pakistan separated by a border where violence is all too frequent, I cannot see how giving India additional nuclear capacity will not be countered in Pakistan. Despite the goal of providing additional energy, we are in reality fuelling a nuclear arms race.”

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