Donald Lu, the top American official dealing with South Asia in the US State Department, said that while both India and the US approach the Ukraine crisis from “different perspectives”, the two also have convergences on the issue.
Updated on Apr 03, 2022 04:37 AM ISTByPrashant Jha
Washington: While both India and the US approach the Ukraine crisis from “different perspectives”, the two also have convergences on the issue, and the US would like India to use its leverage to support a peaceful resolution, Donald Lu, the top American official dealing with South Asia in the US State Department, has said.
He said the key is for the US to show it can offer a more valuable partnership and for India to see greater value in working with the US. The US also sees India as not just a partner but a leader of Quad in key areas; it believes that China has not shown good faith in border negotiations with India, and is confident that the upcoming 2+2 dialogue will show that the bilateral India-US relationship is “very healthy and moving forward”.
In an interview with Hindustan Times, Lu, the US assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia, said that the US was looking forward to partner with defence minister Rajnath Singh and external affairs minister S Jaishankar to deepen the “diplomatic and security cooperation” at the 2+2 dialogue, scheduled for April 11. “I am hoping we will be able to announce some new initiatives and concrete progress on space cooperation, higher education collaboration, building our collective defence capabilities, coordination on maritime domain awareness, and cultural property protection.”
Lu refused to get drawn into the controversy about Imran Khan’s direct allegation of a US conspiracy to oust him and indirect hints that during a conversation with the outgoing Pakistani ambassador to the US, Lu warned Pakistan of consequences if Khan survived in power, and said: “We are following developments in Pakistan and we respect and support Pakistan’s constitutional process and the rule of law.”
Lu, who recently returned from India after participating in foreign office consultations with under-secretary of state for political affairs Victoria Nuland, said that it was “no secret” that India and the US came at the Ukraine crisis from different perspectives. “That’s all the more reason that we, as strategic partners, should have good communication and good discussions at every level to both explain our positions, but also to look for places of convergence where we can work together. Both the United States and India are in favour of a ceasefire and of a diplomatic resolution of this crisis. We have urged India to use its leverage to support a peaceful resolution. Similarly, both the US and India are supporting humanitarian assistance for the Ukrainian people. That’s, I think, a real place for potential coordination and collaboration.”
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