India asks Japan to withdraw sanctions

NEW DELHI, Jan 15: India has asked Japan to drop sanctions imposed by Tokyo after New Delhi conducted nuclear tests in May 1998, Defence Minister George Fernandes said today, reports Reuters.

"I suggested that the sanctions that Japan had imposed on us should be withdrawn. Sanctions act as a irritant in bilateral relations and withdrawal would be the best way to deal with it," he told reporters in a briefing about his recent trip to Japan.

Fernandes made a four-day visit to Japan earlier in the week at the invitation of his Japanese counterpart, Director General Tsutomu Kawara of the Japan Defence Agency.

The United States said last month it would scale back its own sanctions slapped on India over the shock nuclear trials. New Delhi welcomed the move but said any further sanctions were unjustified and called for the entire lot to be dismantled.

Fernandes described his Japan trip as "historic" and said it would pave the way for establishing bilateral defence relations.

He said the two countries had decided to start regular security and defence-related dialogue to tackle the challenges of the post-Cold War security environment.

"My purpose in visiting Japan at this juncture was to add a new security dimension to our relationship which would give it a more complete character," Fernandes said.

He said that in the post-Cold War scenario, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, both Indian and Japan as members of the ASEAN regional forum would inevitably assume greater responsibilities for peace and security.

The minister said cooperation between the two navies and safety of the sea route to Japan would be high on the agenda of the security dialogue.

Fernandes said he told Japanese officials about the efforts of India's coalition government led by Atal Behari Vajpayee to reach a domestic consensus as soon as possible on the issue of signing the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.

US President Bill Clinton plans a goodwill visit to India this year aimed at, in part, encouraging New Delhi to sign the global treaty.