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Joint Statement: US- India (9/15/00)

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                              THE WHITE HOUSE

                       Office of the Press Secretary

______________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                                   September 15, 2000


                              JOINT STATEMENT

     Prime  Minister  Vajpayee  and  President Clinton today reaffirmed the
vision  they  outlined  in March in New Delhi of a closer and qualitatively
new  relationship  between India and the United States in the 21st century.
They  reiterated  their  conviction  that  closer  cooperation and stronger
partnership  between the two countries will be a vital factor for shaping a
future  of  peace,  prosperity,  democracy,  pluralism and freedom for this
world.   They  acknowledged  that  this  vision  draws  strength from broad
political support in both countries.

     The   two   leaders  agreed  that  the  wide-ranging  architecture  of
institutional  dialogue  between  the  two countries provides a broad-based
framework  to  pursue  the  vision  of  a new relationship.  They expressed
satisfaction  at  the  pace and purposefulness with which the two countries
have initiated the consultations envisaged in the dialogue architecture.

   In particular, the two leaders are gratified by their recent exchange of
visits,  and by the regular foreign policy consultations at the ministerial
and senior policy levels:

?    They expressed satisfaction at the role that the two countries played
in the launch of the Community of Democracies.

?    In the economic arena, they reaffirmed their confidence that the three
ministerial-level economic dialogues and the High-Level Coordinating Group
will improve the bilateral trade environment, facilitate greater commercial
cooperation, promote investment, and contribute to strengthening the global
financial and trading systems.

?    They welcomed the progress of the Joint Working Group on
Counter-Terrorism, and agreed that it would also examine linkages between
terrorism and narcotics trafficking and other related issues.  They noted
the opening of a Legal Attach? office in New Delhi designed to facilitate
cooperation in counter-terrorism and law enforcement.

?    The two leaders expressed satisfaction that the joint consultative
group on clean energy and environment met in July and agreed to revitalize
and expand energy cooperation, while discussing the full range of issues
relating to environment and climate change.

?    They welcomed the establishment of the Science and Technology forum in
July and agreed that the forum should reinvigorate the traditionally strong
scientific cooperation between the two countries.  In that connection, they
noted the contribution of the two science and technology related roundtable
meetings held in March and September.

?    They also welcomed the recent initiatives in the health sector,
including the joint statements of June 2000, as examples of deepening
collaboration in improving health care and combating AIDS and other major
diseases of our time.

   The  two leaders agreed that India and the United States must build upon
this   new  momentum  in  their  relationship  to  further  enhance  mutual
understanding and deepen cooperation across the full spectrum of political,
economic,  commercial, scientific, technological, social, and international
issues.

   During  this  visit, the two leaders had productive discussions across a
wide  range of bilateral, regional, and international developments.  In the
economic  arena,  they  agree  that India?s continuing economic reforms, as
well  as  the two countries? complementary strengths and resources, provide
strong bases for expansion of economic ties between the two countries.  The
two  leaders  recognized  the need to deepen cooperation on high-tech trade
issues.   They  noted that the present regime on e-commerce would be rolled
over  until  the  next  ministerial  meeting  of  the WTO, and that the two
countries  would  cooperate  in building a wider international consensus on
information  technology.  The two leaders pledged their joint commitment to
bridge  the  digital divide, both within and between countries, so that the
benefits  of  information  technology  may  advance the economic and social
development of all citizens, rich and poor.

   The two leaders expressed satisfaction with their agreement on textiles.
They  also affirmed the need for expansion of bilateral civil aviation ties
and agreed to work toward this goal.  They recognized the contribution that
biotechnology  can  make  to a safe and nutritious food supply, in offering
new  options to farmers to address problems of pests and diseases, while to
contributing   to   environmental  protection  and  enhancing  global  food
security.  The governments of the United States and India will explore ways
of  enhancing  cooperation  and  information  exchange, joint collaborative
projects  and training of scientists in agriculture biotechnology research.
The ongoing vaccine research would be further strengthened also, making use
of  genomics and bioinformatics.  The governments of both the United States
and India support science-based regulatory activities.

   They  also noted significant progress on other important economic issues
including  mutual  taxation  and investment in the power and other sectors.
In  regard  to  double  taxation  issues, the competent authorities of both
sides  intend  to  soon  negotiate an arrangement under which collection or
recovery  of  tax will generally be suspended on a reciprocal basis, during
pendency  of a mutual agreement proceeding.  To ensure sustainable economic
growth  that  will  lift  the lives of rich and poor alike, the two leaders
committed   support  for  efforts  that  will  make  capital  markets  more
efficient,  transparent, and accountable to attract the billions in private
investment that is needed.

   They recognize the need for appropriate technology for power generation,
and the importance of greater South Asian regional cooperation and trade in
energy,  as  well  as the development and application of clean technologies
that  address  our  respective  problems of urban and water pollution.  The
leaders  noted  with  satisfaction the signings of several major commercial
agreements,  under  which  U.S. firms will contribute to the development of
the power industry in India.

   The  United  States  and  India  intend  to harness their cooperation in
emerging  scientific  and  economic sectors into a partnership for defining
new   ways  of  fighting  hunger,  disease,  pollution,  and  other  global
challenges of our time.  The two leaders pledged their strong commitment to
address  the  global  challenge  of  the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS
through  the  close involvement and cooperation between the governments and
civil  society  in  the  two  countries.   They  expressed  support for the
collaborative  program  for  research  in various areas, including HIV/AIDS
vaccine  development,  through  the  Joint  Working  Groups  of  scientists
envisaged  by  the  Joint Statement of June 2000.  They agreed to encourage
the  formation  of  a  business  council to combat HIV/AIDS with the active
involvement  and  participation of business and industry to raise awareness
in the industrial workplace.

   The two leaders discussed international security. They recalled the long
history  of  Indo-U.S.  cooperation  in  UN  peacekeeping  operations, most
recently  in  Sierra  Leone.   The  two  leaders  agreed  to  broaden their
cooperation  in  peacekeeping  and other areas of UN activity, including in
shaping  the  future  international  security system.  The two leaders also
discussed the evolving security environment in Asia, recalling their common
desire  to  work  for  stability  in Asia and beyond.  They agreed that the
Asian  Security  Dialogue  that  the  two  countries  have  initiated  will
strengthen mutual understanding.

   The  two  countries  reaffirmed their belief that tensions in South Asia
can  only  be resolved by the nations of South Asia, and by peaceful means.
India  reiterated  its  commitment  to  enhancing  cooperation,  peace, and
stability  in  the  region.   Both  sides  stressed  the unacceptability of
continued violence and bloodshed as a basis for solution of the problems of
the region.

   The  United  States and India seek to advance their dialogue on security
and  nonproliferation  issues,  building  upon  the  joint statement signed
during  President Clinton?s visit to India in March.  They reiterated their
respective  commitments to forgo nuclear explosive tests.  India reaffirmed
that,  subject  to  its  supreme  national  interests, it will continue its
voluntary  moratorium  until the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) comes
into  effect.   The  United  States  reaffirmed  its  intention to work for
ratification  of  the  Treaty  at  the  earliest possible date.  The Indian
government  will continue efforts to develop a broad political consensus on
the  issue of the Treaty, with the purpose of bringing these discussions to
a  successful  conclusion.   India  also  reconfirmed its commitment not to
block  entry  into  force  of  the  Treaty.   India  expects that all other
countries,  as  included in Article XIV of CTBT, will adhere to this Treaty
without reservations.  The United States and India reiterated their support
for  a global treaty to halt the production of fissile material for weapons
purposes,  and  for  the earliest possible start of Fissile Material Cutoff
Treaty  negotiations in Geneva.   The United States noted its moratorium on
the  production  of  fissile  material  for weapons purposes and supports a
multilateral  moratorium on such production pending conclusion of a Fissile
Material Cutoff Treaty.  The United States and India commended the progress
made so far on export controls, and pledged to continue to strengthen them.
Both   countries   agreed  to  continue  their  dialogue  on  security  and
nonproliferation,  including  on  defense  posture,  which  is  designed to
further narrow differences on these important issues.

   In  combating  international  terrorism,  the  two leaders called on the
international  community to intensify its efforts, including at the current
session  of  the  United  Nations.    Noting that both India and the United
States   are   targets   of  continuing  terrorism,  they  expressed  their
determination  to  further  reinforce  bilateral  cooperation in this area.
They  have  agreed to hold another round of counter-terrorism consultations
in  New  Delhi  later  this  month,  and  to  pursue work on a Mutual Legal
Assistance Treaty.

   Finally,  the  two leaders also paid tribute to the contributions of the
Indian-American  community  in  providing a bridge of understanding between
the  two  societies  and  in strengthening the ties of commerce and culture
between the two countries.  In this connection, they commended the progress
of  the  initiative  to set up a collaborative Global Institute for Science
and   Technology   in   India.    The   two  leaders  agreed  to  encourage
people-to-people  connections  between  the  two nations, and to enlist the
cooperation  of  all  sections  of  their talented and diverse societies in
support of that goal.

                                 30-30-30


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