Pakistan must do more to fight terror: US Envoy

New Delhi, May 11 (ANI): US envoy to India Timothy Roemer on Tuesday said Pakistan must do more to fight terror.

“It is important for both India and Pakistan to talk to each other. India and Pakistan must decide on the agenda for talks,” said Roemer after visiting a police memorial to pay tribute to victims of November 2008 terror attack in Mumbai.

In the wake of the failed Times Square bombing, which was purportedly plotted by an American civilian of Pakistani origin-Faisal Shahzad, the United Sates has been piling up the pressure on Pakistan to do more against extremist breeding on its soil.

“India is one of the most important allies. We are working on providing access to Headley,” said Roemer.

“We will ensure US aide is used in an appropriate manner,” he added.

Union Home Secretary G K Pillai had earlier on April 30 said that US has assured that Indian investigators would get direct access to Lashkar operative David Headley very soon.

A team led by Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam visited USA from April 24 to 27 to discuss modalities for gaining access to Headley.

During his visit, Subramaniam held discussions with US Attorney General Eric Holder on getting direct access to Headley.
The successful meeting hinted that there would be best possible cooperation in the fight against terrorism.

Subramaniam had on May 1 said that all bottlenecks to access David Headley, have been overcome and Indian investigators might get the opportunity to question him soon.

Earlier, the U.S. had stated that it was just a ”matter of working out modalities” before Indian investigators get access to Headley. (ANI)

US to India: Keeping close watch on weapons supplied to Pakistan

New Delhi, Apr.19 (ANI): The United States has assured India that it is keeping a close watch on the weapons supplied to Pakistan and, will investigate if there is any ”misuse” of the weapons tramsferred to Islambad.

Addressing reporters in New Delhi, US Ambassador to India, Timothy Roemer, said:”There are allegations of misuse of weapons given to Pakistan for other purposes. We will investigate it, Congress will take the issue seriously.”

The American assurance came just days after Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh met US President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, where he reportedly expressed concern over the misuse of American weapons by Pakistan.

In the next few months, the United States will be delivering to Pakistan the first lot of hi-tech
eighteen F 16”s, 6C/D Block 50/52 combat aircraft, which is being viewed with worry in New Delhi.

Apart from the F-16s, which are worth 1.43 billion dollars, Washington is also forking out 477
million dollars for almost 60 mid-life update kits for its older fleet of F-16s A/B combat aircraft and financing part of the 115 M-109 self-propelled howitzers.

The US has already given 5,250 TOW anti-armour missiles to Pakistan.

Roemer said: “We cannot hyphenate the India-America relationship to AFPAK and Pakistan. Pakistan is doing something in dealing with the threat of Taliban and, we have told them in no uncertain terms that they need to continue to do more.”

On India”s role in Afghanistan, Roemer said: “India”s role in Afghanistan is very critical. President Obama has personally said this to Prime Minister Singh”.

“India”s role has been a great success, but we also have to look for new roles for India in Afghanistan and, when I go to Afghanistan, I will discuss it with the Indian Ambassador (Jayant Prasad) whether it is education or civil services, we are grateful for it,” he added.

Roemer also told reporters that providing access to David Headley, one of the American scouts used by the Lashkar-e-Toiba to locate places that could be attacked, is a top priority for the United States. (ANI)

US to India: Keeping close watch on weapons supplied to Pakistan

New Delhi, Apr.19 (ANI): The United States has assured India that it is keeping a close watch on the weapons supplied to Pakistan and, will investigate if there is any ”misuse” of the weapons tramsferred to Islambad.

Addressing reporters in New Delhi, US Ambassador to India, Timothy Roemer, said:”There are allegations of misuse of weapons given to Pakistan for other purposes. We will investigate it, Congress will take the issue seriously.”

The American assurance came just days after Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh met US President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, where he reportedly expressed concern over the misuse of American weapons by Pakistan.

In the next few months, the United States will be delivering to Pakistan the first lot of hi-tech
eighteen F 16”s, 6C/D Block 50/52 combat aircraft, which is being viewed with worry in New Delhi.

Apart from the F-16s, which are worth 1.43 billion dollars, Washington is also forking out 477
million dollars for almost 60 mid-life update kits for its older fleet of F-16s A/B combat aircraft and financing part of the 115 M-109 self-propelled howitzers.

The US has already given 5,250 TOW anti-armour missiles to Pakistan.

Roemer said: “We cannot hyphenate the India-America relationship to AFPAK and Pakistan. Pakistan is doing something in dealing with the threat of Taliban and, we have told them in no uncertain terms that they need to continue to do more.”

On India”s role in Afghanistan, Roemer said: “India”s role in Afghanistan is very critical. President Obama has personally said this to Prime Minister Singh”.

“India”s role has been a great success, but we also have to look for new roles for India in Afghanistan and, when I go to Afghanistan, I will discuss it with the Indian Ambassador (Jayant Prasad) whether it is education or civil services, we are grateful for it,” he added.

Roemer also told reporters that providing access to David Headley, one of the American scouts used by the Lashkar-e-Toiba to locate places that could be attacked, is a top priority for the United States. (ANI)

Faster visa to US under Delhi consular section

New Delhi, Sep 15 (ANI): The US Ambassador to India, Timothy Roemer on Monday inaugurated the US Embassy’s new Consular (visa) section in New Delhi.

The new facility is the result of a multi-year, 10 million dollar expansion that would permit the embassy to provide faster and better consular service to the Indian community, particularly catering to northern India.

James Herman, Minister Counsellor for Consular Affairs at the United States Embassy, told reporters that new consul section doesn’t mean that more visas would be issued, but it would help clear the backlog.

“The new facilities designed here are to allow us the capability to process more visas. It doesn’t mean that we are issuing more visas. It is simply a matter of making sure that we can process all the visas applicants who want to apply for visas in India,” he added.

“Three years ago the average waiting time in India for a visa appointment was a little bit over six months, that is now down to a well under two weeks. In some place like Chennai for example it’s just a two-day wait. So the point is to give us the capability of processing as many visas as there are applicants,” Herman said.

The new facility doubles the waiting area, triples customer seating, adds a modern queuing system to guide customers through the visa process and adds many interviewing windows to ensure that visa applicants and American citizens can speak to an officer more quickly and in a convenient, modern environment.

The demand for consular services in India has surged to new levels, mirroring the deepening strategic partnership. Over the past five years, the issuance of U.S. non-immigrant visas in India have more than doubled from approximately 275,000 in 2003 to approximately 560,000 in 2008.

Speaking on the recent travel advisory issued to the Americans travelling to India, Herman said that it is routine and just meant for the safety of US citizens.

“The travel alert is for a wider audience. It’s basically says the same things as last two warden messages. So if you look at it it’s the way we communicate with Americans who travel…it’s a fair assessment,” he added.

The travel alert recently posted on US embassy website states that last years Mumbai terror attacks provides a vivid reminder that hotels and other public places being attractive targets for militant groups.

The advisory ask US citizens to maintain heightened situational awareness and a low profile. (ANI)

No nation has suffered more from terrorism than India: Kerry

Washington, July 8 (ANI): The United States has said that India has been the biggest sufferer of terrorism, and that it sincerely wants to help New Delhi overcome the crises and stabilize the region.

Inaugurating a confirmation hearing for Timothy Roemer, who has been nominated as new US Ambassador to India, Democrat Senator John Kerry pointed out that militancy has affected India more than any other country, and that the United States sincerely wants to help India to address the menace.

“There are many areas where we can make real progress. First, we have to help India to break with the perilous politics of South Asia’s past. India needs no lectures: virtually no nation has suffered more from terrorism than India,” said Kerry.

Describing South Asia as ‘a volatile nuclear flashpoint’, Kerry, the Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, emphasized that India need not worry about the enhanced US aid to Pakistan as the assistance was in India’s interest as well.

“The Senate has passed legislation, which Senator Richard Lugar and I sponsored, to recast our relationship with Pakistan. This will help us to secure not only the long-term safety not only of the US and Pakistan but of India as well,” The Nation quoted Kerry, as saying.

Speaking on the occasion, Roemer stressed that the United States needs to carry on its support for the resumption of the Indo-Pak dialogue, which was very important for the region’s stability, and that Pakistan must take concrete steps to counter the terror threat.

“On Pakistan, we need to continue to support improvement in the overall India-Pakistan relationship, including resumption of a dialogue process that will address issues vital to each country while still ensuring that Pakistan takes concrete steps to address the threat of terrorism,” said Roemer.

“On the regional front, we will work closely with India to promote stability, prosperity and development in the often volatile region of South Asia,” he added. (ANI)

Timothy Roemer to be new US Ambassador to India

London, May 28 (ANI): President Barack Obama has nominated distinguished scholar and former Democratic congressman Timothy Roemer of Indiana to be America’s new Ambassador to India.

Roemer served on the blue-ribbon commission investigating the Sepetmber 11, 2001 terror attacks on the United States and on a key committee to prevent nuclear proliferation.

He endorsed Obama during his primary campaign and was a strong advocate of Obama’s foreign policy approach.

The White House also announced a raft of top diplomats in capitals from Tokyo to Paris. The group fills many of the highest profile jobs in the Foreign Service and will be crucial representatives of Mr Obama and his State Department with US allies.

Obama appointed Louis Susman, a retired vice chairman of Citigroup Corporate and Investment Banking as British envoy.

The White House also announced it plans to nominate Miguel H. Diaz, an associate professor of theology at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota, for the top job at the Vatican, The Telegraph reported.

To other capitals, Obama planned to nominate Charles Rivkin, an outside homeland security adviser, to France.

He named John Roos, Internet and biotechnology lawyer, as the United States’ top diplomat to Japan.

Obama also named Patricia Butenis, a career diplomat who has previously been posted in Baghdad, Pakistan and New Delhi, as ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives. (ANI)