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VI E W FORMER AMBASSADOR TO US RON EN SEN

N-DEALWASA
CONTROVERSIAL

US 'no' on Headley INITIATIVE:SEN


HT Correspondent

isn'ta setback. 8Ikoreportersdesk@hindustantimes.com

LUCKNOW:
Ambassador
Former
to the United
States Ronen Sen said the US
Indian

Darpan Singh was India's single most impor-


8/koreportersdesk@hindustantimes.com Sen said there was not much tant bilateral ally today.
operational cooperation earli- "The US remains our largest
Amidtalks
LUCKNOW: ofthe US er but things changed after trading power. It's the biggest.
11
dealing a blow to India by strik- 26111.He held the high office destination of our exports of
ing a plea-bargain deal with when the biggest terror strike both goods and services. It's the
26/11 key conspirator Pakistani- left India bleeding and angry largest source offoreign invest-
American David Coleman like never before. ment," Sen said, while address-
Headley, former Indian Recallinghisdiplomaticover- ing a gathering at Lucknow
Ambassador to the United tures, Sen said,. "The US . University on Saturday. "The
States Ronen Sen still sees 'a promptly condemned the rapidity of the evolution in Indo-
lot of anti-terror cooperation' attacks, immediatelyacknowl- US relations from mutual sus-
taking place between the two edged that it emanated from picion to strategic partnership
countries. Pakistan, called for the perpe- has caught many observers off-
The senior diplomat - who trators to be brought tojustice balance," he said.
retireda yearago- said,"There and steps takento prevent such Sen, who assumed charge as
is exceptional cooperation provocative attacks." Ambassador of India to the
between India and the US on "Within a few hours of the United States in August 2004
" the Mumbai atta~ks." But has attacks, I received telephone and retired a year ago, "The
not the US made It clear that, 8 RonenSen,FormerAmbassador
to US. ASHOK DUTTAlHT PHOTDS callsfromBarack Obama(then USA and India are not just
as part of the deal, it will not President-elect) and US vibrant democracies but by far
extradite Headley to India? Minister P. Chidambaram on Sen, however,refused to say Secretary ofState Condoleezza the most diverse countries in
Hinting that the plea agree- Saturday said India would be much "on the record" when Rice, with assurances of not ,the world in racial, ethnic, reli-
ment does not rule out infor- ableto obtainacc~ssto Headley asked why India allowed the only American solidarity but gious and other aspects."
mation or testimony,Sen said, for questioning. "The US citi- FBI to question Ajmal Amir ofactiveUS support.""I'msure The first significant mile-
"We should not lose sight of zen ofPakistanioriginisobliged Kasab, the lone surviving ter- that Indo-USrelationswillcon- stone in Indo-US relations in
strategic objectives in pursuit to fully cooperate in a consti- rorist involvedin the Mumbai tinue to strengthen but con- 2004 when President Bush and
of tactical gains." tutedjudicial proceeding,"the terror attacks, when we could stant nurturing and care are Prime Minister Vajpayee
Punctuating his talk with a Home Minister said. not have Headley extradited." required," he concluded. announced the 'next steps in
liberaldoseof'I-have-left-office strategic partnership (NSSP),
and these-are-my-personal- he said and added, "The most
views', Sen said India should significant and most contro-
not feel let down on denial of versial initiative, however, was
Headley'sextradition. "It's not' the Indo-US civil nuclear deal,
a setback. India will continue which was approved by the US
to seek accessto himand press Congress in 2008."
for extradition." The 49-year- ,
old Pakistani-American has
pleadedguiltybeforeaUS court
to allthe 12chargesagainsthim
of conspiracy involving the
Mumbai attacks.
Sen'scommentsassume sig-
,,!IRonen Sft!J.a.~ his ylife~iP8na .

~ificance as Union Home AZAMHUSSAlNjHlPHOTO


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