Q.2505 Visit of US secretary of state

Type: 
Parliament Questions and Answers

RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2505
TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.08.2011

SHRI D. RAJA:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) whether it is a fact that the US Secretary of State had visited India recently;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether some agreements were signed during the visit;
(d) if so, the details thereof;
(e) whether the issue of weaponisation of Pakistan by the US which is a danger to India’s security and safety did figure in the bilateral dialogue; and
(f) if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI E. AHAMED)

(a) & (b) The U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited India from 18 to 21 July, 2011, during which she also co-chaired with the External Affairs Minister the second India-U.S. Strategic Dialogue on 19 July, 2011 in New Delhi.

(c) & (d) The second India-U.S. Strategic Dialogue provided an opportunity to reaffirm and strengthen the India-US global strategic partnership. The two sides discussed global issues of mutual interest and agreed to further strengthen bilateral cooperation, including on counter-terrorism, homeland security, cyber security, trade and investment, science, technology and innovation, energy and environment, education and empowerment.
The two governments signed the Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA), the Memorandum of Understanding between Computer Emergency Response Teams of India and U.S. (CERT-IN and US-CERT) and an Implementing Agreement on Discovery Science between the Department of Atomic Energy and the U.S. Department of Energy.

(e) & (f) The Government has consistently shared with the U.S. Government its concerns about possible adverse impact of US military assistance to Pakistan, including on India’s security. The U.S. has conveyed that its military assistance is aimed at strengthening Pakistan’s counter-terrorism capability, and that the US seeks to ensure that is not used against India. Further, the Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act, the law that provides the framework for U.S. assistance to Pakistan, has specified a number of conditions for military assistance to Pakistan, such as ceasing support to extremist and terrorist groups, including Let and JeM; preventing attacks into neighboring countries; and dismantling of terrorist camps, including in Muridke.
http://www.mea.gov.in/mystart.php?id=220118164

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South Asia