No move to replace Naresh Chandra

No move to replace Naresh Chandra
NEERJA CHOWDHURY

NEW DELHI, MARCH 18: India’s Ambassador to the US, Naresh Chandra, is likely to continue in his post for another year, contrary to speculation that he would be replaced after the Clinton visit. The Government is reportedly not inclined to make any changes at this stage and would like to consolidate the gains from the US President's visit.

Chandra, who is here ahead of Clinton's visit, called on Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Minister for External Affairs Jaswant Singh soon after his arrival. Asked about his charge, he said: ``I am on an indefinite extension. It is up to the Government to decide. At the moment there is no instruction for my return. I suppose they will be taking a view after the visit (of Clinton). The Government seems disinclined to make a change.''

Chandra has been in Washington since early 1996 and has survived five governments -- that of P V Narasimha Rao, who appointed him, then two of the United Front, led by H D Deve Gowda and I K Gujral, and then the two governments of Atal Behari Vajpayee.

He pointed out that the change in the Indo-US relations had taken place not just as a result of an interaction between the two administrations but also because of a change of attitude in the US Congress, in various thinktanks, and in the US press. ``There is a very large consensus for looking at India in the 21st century in a different way,'' he said.

He gave credit to the Indian-American community for the improved relations between the two countries and the role they had played in explaining India's case to American Senators, Congressmen and the corporate sector.

About the idea of Professor Stephen Cohen of the Brookings Institution to post a special US envoy to Kashmir, he said: ``It is clear he has not been able to carry many people in the US (with him). You can see this from the recent letter written to the US President by the Independent Task Force on US Policy for South Asia, headed by Richard Hasse. They have kept away from it. In fact they have put many arguments which run counter to this proposal.''