Washington: US secretary of state Hillary Clinton spoke in an interview on Thursday on the India-US civil nuclear deal and the strengthening of ties between the two countries. She also spoke on India-Pakistan talks in the backdrop of terrorism. Edited excerpts:
The Bush administration had effected a strategic shift in its relationship with India, where India was seen as the major partner of the US in the region. Is the Obama administration equally committed to taking that relationship forward?
Friendly voice: US secretary of state Hillary Clinton at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington on Wednesday. She is confident of a positive outcome from her visit to India. Brendan Hoffman / Bloomberg
Absolutely. As you may see, the speech I delivered yesterday (Wednesday, at the senate foreign affairs committee) summarizes many of the priorities that we are pursuing in the Obama administration, and I made it very clear that we see India as a...global partner.
I am really pleased that when I come to India, we are going to be announcing a very broad comprehensive agenda for dialogue that (foreign) minister (S.M.) Krishna and I would be leading. We see India as an economic power, a strategic partner, a country that has unlimited potential.
And, of course, I am very pleased that I have (had) the opportunity 14 years ago to come to India to express the commitment that my husband (Bill Clinton), then president, had (towards) India.
I supported the steps that the Bush administration took. So it’s a particular privilege for me to be in this position at this time—to be coming to India and to be pursuing a deeper and broader relationship between our two countries.
The cornerstone of that strategic relationship fashioned by the Bush administration was the Indo-US nuclear deal. Is the Obama administration just as committed in taking that deal forward?
Well, of course we are committed to the civil nuclear agreement that was signed during the Bush administration.
I hope to have some announcements about the continuing implementation of that agreement when I arrive in India and I want to discuss with Indian leaders (on) how we can work together for a common purpose of preventing the proliferation of nuclear material and weapons to state and non-state actors (that) pose a threat to India (and) to the United States and to many countries around the world.
So of course there will be a very serious discussion that will begin with my visit and continue to be our important strategic dialogue. But I think we share a common desire... that we both have to be very vigilant against (an irresponsible state or a non-state player) acquiring weapons that we know should not be in their hands.