Dialogue with US on terrorism next week

Our Political Bureau - NEW DELHI - The Times of India 9/21

INDIA and the US will resume their dialogue on terrorism when the US chief coordinator on counter-terrorism Michael Sheehan arrives here next week at the head of a high-level inter-agency delegation for the next round of talks with India.

Counter-terrorism has been high on the agenda of the US and India. With Mr Vajpayee highlighting it at both the UN millennium summit and during his bilateral meetings with the US leadership, the fact that international terrorism could even spill over into the US has sharpened focus on the issue.

However, added to the concerns of international terrorism is India and the US’ converged concerns on Afghanistan. Therefore, the bilateral dialogue on Afghanistan have been institutionalised into a framework which will work in addition to the JWG on terrorism.

India considers the institutionalisation of the dialogue on Afghanistan to be significant because it is an indication India’s claim that events on Afghanistan have a direct bearing on India has fallen on fertile ground.

According to the US, the focus of international terrorism has shifted from west to south Asia. In a manner of speaking there is a tacit acknowledgement of India’s position that the terrorism being exported out of the Pakistan-Afghanistan region had global ramifications. This also necessitated the summit dialogue between India and the US to include shared concerns on Taliban.

The JWG on terrorism has also set in motion a process whereby the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Central Bureau of Investigation will be setting up offices in both capitals to aid counter-terrorism efforts to ``drain the swamp.’’

Both countries are looking to diversify methods of ``draining the swamp’’. This means acceding to the UN convention against financing of terrorism — signed by the prime minister during the millennium summit. It also means India needs to find a space for itself in the future of Afghanistan.