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Speculation over Blackwill decision 'totally misplaced'

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

Washington April 22. The State Department is willing to go no farther than asserting that its Ambassador to India, Robert Blackwill, is quitting his post only to spend more time with his family and return to an academic life at the Harvard University. And that reports or speculation that there were policy reasons for the intending departure of Mr. Blackwill "is just totally misplaced'', it is officially said.

At the State Department, the spokesman was asked about the resignation of "your rather colourful Ambassador to India''. The response was along expected lines, including that Mr. Blackwill had put out a statement in New Delhi explaining the motivations for his decision. "He and the Secretary of State, Colin Powell, discussed this some months ago, and the Secretary — and the President — was quite aware of the plans that Mr. Blackwill was making to return to his academic life'', Richard Boucher remarked.

Mr. Boucher was pressed on a speculation in India that Mr. Blackwill was unhappy with the firmness of the American resolve on the terrorism issue with India and Pakistan and hence his decision to step down. ''And any speculation that there are policy reasons for this resignation, I think, is just totally misplaced. No, it's not true'', Mr. Boucher said.

The spokesman declined comment on either personality factors or about the Inspector General's report of last year that apparently observed that morale at the New Delhi mission was low and much of this was on account of Mr. Blackwill's personality. ``... He's leaving for the reasons that he described. He's discussed this with the Secretary over the past months. Those are the reasons, and I'll leave you with his statement'', Mr. Boucher said.

Mr. Blackwill's decision to leave his job in India has been taken note of by leading newspapers. The New York Times report called Mr. Blackwill "an unusually high profile Ambassador, often blunt in the advocacy of his positions'' and described the kind of things that had taken place in his watch during the last two years — almost 100 members of the Cabinet and senior officials have visited India; the lifting of economic sanctions and at least six training exercises between the military forces of India and the U.S.

It has to be recalled that there was a lot of enthusiasm at the time of Mr. Blackwill's appointment to India because he was seen as being very close to the President, George W. Bush, by belonging to an inner circle of foreign policy advisors. And it is said that it will be weeks, if not months, before the White House comes up with its nomination who will then have to go through the confirmation process in the Senate. In fact, what is being pointed out is that Mr. Blackwill himself will not be leaving the post till perhaps the end of summer.

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