950807

Change in Pressler law

Delay caused in Senate

is temporary: Shaikh

SIKANDER HAYAT

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is confident that the delay caused in the US Senate in the passage of modifications to the Pressler law is temporary and, given the bi-partisan American support, Islamabad will get the military equipment, except the F-16s, released.

Addressing a news conference on Monday, Foreign Secretary Najmuddin A. Shaikh said" "There has been no setback; merely a pause caused by the particular difficulties attending the adoption of legislation in the American Congress this year".

He also rejected the reports that Pakistan embassy in Washington was taken by surprise and could do nothing to lobby support for Senator Hank Brown's amendments.

The Foreign Secretary said he was mindful of the "intricacies of the American legislative process (which) some time cloud issues," but emphasized that the opponents of the proposed modification "do not have the strength to block the adoption of such a legislation." The fact that Senator Brown's proposal was not put to vote speaks for the weakness of anti-Pakistan forces in the Congress, he added.

Shaikh said he was, however, conscious of the fact that the Indian lobby in Washington simultaneously launched "an intense campaign" with the assistance of other interested quarters to block the modification of the Pressler law.

On Friday, August 4, Senator Hank Brown introduced in the Senate an amendment to the Defence Department Authorisation Bill under which economic assistance military training, return of unrepaired spare parts and storage charges on equipment purchased by Pakistan would be exempted from the purview of the Pressler law.

This proposed legislation was identical to the legislation which had been passed in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee by 16 to 2 votes on May 23 this year. In presenting that legislation Senator Brown had made clear that he had restricted his amendment only for the time being and will be introducing later another amendment to carry forward the US Administration's proposal for releasing from the purview of the Pressler law all the equipment (except F-16) that Islamabad had contracted for before October 16, 1990, and for which it had paid.

Spelling out the background to Senator Brown's initiative the foreign secretary said since both the Senate and the House foreign relations committees had adopted the legislation this now needed to be adopted by the Senate. Weighning in with Senator Brown's initiative Clinton Administration's Defence Secretary William Peery and Acting State Secretary Peter Tarnoff had addressed letters to the Senate leadership effectively demolishing the argument that the supply of such equipment would disturb the military balance in South Asia, the foreign secretary explained.

He said the vehicle of the Defence Department Authorisation Bill was chosen because the Foreign Aid Authorisation Bill had become controversial and there were apprehensions that it may be vetoed. But it was known then that the sponsores of other amendments, too, felt likewise and over 185 amendment were tagged to the Defence Department Authorisation Bill.

However, the situation remains in flux: On Monday Senator Dole, as the majority leader will seek a cloture which means that all the amendments will be voted upon without debate. "But if that does not take place I cannot predict the next move," Shaikh said.

The foreign secretary was of the view that if the Brown proposal is subjected to cloture that is voted upon is will reinforce the level of support for the modification of the Pressler law. "And, if this is not brought to vote, the sponsoring senator and the Administration intend moving the amendment as a whole i.e. both parts through another legislative vehicle," Shaikh said.