Tom Lantos
Tom Lantos, chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the United States House of Representatives, and six other leading Congressmen wrote a highly controversial letter, dated May 2, 2007, to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, reports The Hindu.
“In the missive, they have attacked India’s relations with Iran, warned that the Indo-U.S. nuclear deal might be jeopardised by the continuation of these relations, and also accused India of making illegal efforts to procure sensitive technology for its ballistic missile programme.
“They have demanded that India ‘cease illicit procurement activities in the U.S., sever military cooperation with Iran, and terminate India’s participation in the development of Iran’s energy sector’.”
The letter starts like this:
Dear Prime Minister Singh:
We are writing to express our grave concern regarding several recent developments that, if left unaddressed, have the potential to significantly harm prospects for the establishment of the “global partnership” between the United States and India that you and President Bush announced on July 18th, 2005 and for peaceful nuclear cooperation between our two countries.
“As you are aware, on April 2nd, the U.S. Department of Justice indicted several individuals in the United States for allegedly conspiring with the government of India – including an employee of the Indian Embassy in Washington, D.C. – to illegally procure sensitive technology for India’s ballistic missile program. This activity, which apparently occurred as recently as April 2006, appears to be a significant violation of India’s September 2004 pledge not to ‘obtain or use U.S. origin licensable items in contravention of U.S. export control laws and regulations’ and is inconsistent with efforts to increase the level of trust between our two nations.
“Regarding Iran, we are deeply concerned by India’s increasing cooperation with that country, including the exchange of visits between high-level officials, enhanced military ties, and negotiation of agreements to establish closer economic relations…”
To read the entire text of their letter please click here…
“The timing (of Lantos letter) could not have been worse, with the (Indian) Parliament in session. The tone and tenor of the letter has given an opportunity to both its (government’s) allies from the Left as well as the opposition BJP to go hammer and tongs against (Prime Minister) Singh and the nuclear deal. The government will have to do a precarious tight rope walk in the next few weeks to ensure that the 123 negotiations with the US is wrapped up while assuring its political opponents and allies from the Left that its foreign policy will not be dictated by the US, says DNA.
Now let us see what Tom Lantos has said on two occasions:
Tom Lantos (November 8, 2001):
We know that India has been waging a long — and until now — a lonely battle against terrorism… (India) has been dealing with terrorism for decades, and has paid a tremendous price in terms of human lives, lost productivity and the psychological impact on the people of India… I want to reaffirm to you that we value India as one of our most important partners and allies.
Tom Lantos (September 9, 2005):
They (India) will pay a heavy price for a total disregard of US concerns vis-à -vis Iran. It just will not fly in this body and they need to be told that in plain English, not in diplomatic English…
Swaraaj Chauhan describes his two-decade-long stint as a full-time journalist as eventful, purposeful, and full of joy and excitement. In 1993 he could foresee a different work culture appearing on the horizon, and decided to devote full time to teaching journalism (also, partly, with a desire to give back to the community from where he had enriched himself so much.)
Alongside, he worked for about a year in 1993 for the US State Department’s SPAN magazine, a nearly five-decade-old art and culture monthly magazine promoting US-India relations. It gave him an excellent opportunity to learn about things American, plus the pleasure of playing tennis in the lavish American embassy compound in the heart of New Delhi.
In !995 he joined WWF-India as a full-time media and environment education consultant and worked there for five years travelling a great deal, including to Husum in Germany as a part of the international team to formulate WWF’s Eco-tourism policy.
He taught journalism to honors students in a college affiliated to the University of Delhi, as also at the prestigious Indian Institute of Mass Communication where he lectured on “Development Journalism” to mid-career journalists/Information officers from the SAARC, African, East European and Latin American countries, for eight years.
In 2004 the BBC World Service Trust (BBC WST) selected him as a Trainer/Mentor for India under a European Union project. In 2008/09 He completed another European Union-funded project for the BBC WST related to Disaster Management and media coverage in two eastern States in India — West Bengal and Orissa.
Last year, he spent a couple of months in Australia and enjoyed trekking, and also taught for a while at the University of South Australia.
Recently, he was appointed as a Member of the Board of Studies at Chitkara University in Chandigarh, a beautiful city in North India designed by the famous Swiss/French architect Le Corbusier. He also teaches undergraduate and postgraduate students there.
He loves trekking, especially in the hills, and never misses an opportunity to play a game of tennis. The Western and Indian classical music are always within his reach for instant relaxation.
And last, but not least, is his firm belief in the power of the positive thought to heal oneself and others.