US may revise CTBT, hints Pressler

Asked whether the Pressler Amendment should be retained as sought by India, he said that his stand and views on Pakistan had been vindicated. 8220;I can take pride in the fact and say that I told you so8221;, he said maintaining that he had always viewed Pakistan as a military regime whether or not the country was ruled by a civilian or dictator. If Pressler Amendment is retained, Pakistan would be denied the crucial spare parts for its weaponry from the US, experts say adding such a course would enhance India8217;s relations with Washington even in defense matters.

Regretting that India has not really accepted the friendship offer by the US, Pressler said New Delhi 8220;should take full advantage of President Clinton8217;s visit especially when he is not going to Pakistan or China8221;. He said the coup in Pakistan in a way would help India clear the US perception about Islamabad.

Pressler said there was a need for a new treaty altogether as, for one thing, India had always perceived it as unfair and also because the nuclear threat in the world is becoming real. He feared that in the next 25 years, someone could drop a nuclear device somewhere in the world. 8220;It could be used by Pakistan and India could respond or one of the US cities could become a target of nuclear device by terrorists8221;. One of the former Soviet states or China could also be one of the threats for nuclear set-offs after which the US and other countries would come up with tough nuclear control regime. Seeing the threat for real Pressler said, 8220;Unfortunately I may see it in my lifetime8221;.

Predicting that Pakistan is not going to change, he said India had the misfortune of having it as its neighbour. He said the military is well entrenched in Pakistan and that according to a CIA report, Pakistan had misled President George Bush who later brought in the Pressler amendments. 8220;President Clinton also believed Ms Benazir Bhutto when she told him that she did not know whether Pakistan had nuclear weapons8221;.

He said even while the US foreign policy had remained obsessed with China and Pakistan, both US and India were on a decisive moment with 8220;fly in the ointment relations8221; in the Cold War era behind us. India has a vast resource of intellectual property and has thriving democracy. Pressler who is set to visit India8217;s Silicon valley8217; in Bangalore said the US was getting a vast pool of software solutions from India.

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