PRIME MINISTER Atal Behari Vajpayee today made it clear that India would not take any decision concerning its security under pressure and that Indo-US relations should be based on "equal terms."
Hours before US President Bill Clinton arrived in the Capital, Mr Vajpayee said: "We will not take any decision under pressure so far as our security is concerned. We will take our own decisions."
Mr Vajpayee, who was addressing a gathering at his residence on the eve of Holi, expressed confidence that the US Presidential visit, taking place after a gap of 22 years, would help improve bilateral ties a good deal.
The Prime Minister recalled that Washington had resented the 1998 Pokhran nuclear tests and imposed economic and technological sanctions against India. Mr Vajpayee recalled his own statement at the time that Indians would be prepared to face all difficulties for the sake of the country's security and honour.
The US has still not lifted the sanctions, Mr Vajpayee said but, at the same time, expressed hope that the current Indo-US talks would bring about a considerable improvement in relations between the two countries.
Meanwhile, National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra said today that India would raise the sanctions issue during the talks with Mr Clinton. Speaking to a private TV channel, he said India considered the sanctions to be an impediment in the development of long-term ties between the two countries.
Mr Mishra said India would welcome US pressure on Islamabad to halt Pak-backed terrorist activities in India. He made it clear that India would not accept the Line of Control (LoC) as the international border between India and Pakistan and would continue to seek the return of Indian territory occupied by Pakistan, as laid down by a 1994 resolution of Parliament.
For a dialogue to begin with Pakistan, he said, it was necessary that not only Islamabad should restore the sanctity of the LoC, it should stop cross-border terrorism also. He said India was keen on long-term relationship with the US that "has to be based on common perceptions of a new world order---political, strategic and economic."
