US won’t tolerate terror safe havens, says envoy

New Delhi: US ambassador to India Kenneth Juster on Thursday said the United States would not tolerate any cross-border terrorism or safe havens, adding— —in response to a  question — that security assistance had been suspended by the US to Pakistan because they (Pakistan) were not doing all that they could in  eliminating terror sanctuaries. But he nevertheless underlined the important role that Pakistan too has in ensuring peace and stability in Afghanistan. Mr. Juster was speaking at an event on the subject “India-US Relations: Building a Durable Partnership for the 21st century.”

He also said the Indo-US ties would grow and that both countries need to continue to have confidence and trust in each other and not be anxious about the future of the relationship. The US envoy said his country saw India as a leading power in the Indo-Pacific and that India was a net provider for regional security in the Indian Ocean. The US envoy also spoke about acquisition of American-made weaponry and platforms by India, saying the US did not want to be just a defence supplier but that the two countries could work together in various spheres, even producing fighter aircraft.

He also said “America First and Make in India” were “not incompatible” and that both can “create jobs” in both countries. Mr Juster also sought to allay Indian fears on the H1B visa issue, saying that the “US was as open a country as any in the world”.

He also said India can become an alternative hub for US business in the Indo-Pacific region since a number of US companies are experiencing some difficulties in doping business in China. Praising Indians, he said 33 percent of all immigrant-founded startups in the United States have Indian founders.

The US envoy further mentioned the “five pillars” in bilateral ties including defence cooperation, military hardware and technology, economic and commercial relations, energy and the environment and regional cooperation.

Praising India for its development assistance to Afghanistan, Mr Juster said, “Pakistan is also important to the situation in Afghanistan ... That really was the major impetus in suspending security assistance to Pakistan because we feel they have not done all that they could to try and eliminate terror sanctuaries in Pakistan ... .”