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No policy reasons behind Blackwill's resignation: U.S.

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON APRIL 21. The Bush administration is rejecting comments that the U.S. Ambassador to India, Robert Blackwill, either resigned in protest or was recalled at the request of the Government of India. "Any speculation that there were policy reasons for his departure is totally misplaced,'' a State Department Official told The Hindu.

"He explained his motivations in his statement released in New Delhi in which he discussed his wish to spend more time with his family and return to teaching at Harvard," the official said.

The Secretary of State, Colin Powell, had been aware of Mr. Blackwill's desire earlier on this year. According to the State Department, Gen. Powell called Mr. Blackwill this morning and he is said to have "praised'' his tenure in New Delhi besides discussing with him the continuing agenda with India.

"There is much still to do and for that reason we are happy that Ambassador Blackwill will be in New Delhi for several more months," the official remarked. What is being noticed here is that Mr. Blackwill's tenure in India that lasted for about two years did witness increased depth and breadth in bilateral relations between the U.S. and India and that the sanctions that were imposed on India in the aftermath of the 1998 nuclear tests were lifted. Mr. Blackwill's tenure also witnessed some high-level exchange of visits on both sides.

But last May the American media had also reported that a State Department probe had found the morale at the American mission in New Delhi at an all- time low but even at that time officials here rejected speculation that Mr. Blackwill might be recalled or that the U.S. Ambassador had himself sent in his resignation letter to the White House.

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