(Washington) Democrat Eric Garcetti, chosen by Joe Biden to become US ambassador to India, promised senators on Tuesday that he would raise with the Modi government the issue of human rights and the issue of arms purchases from the United States. Russia.
The current mayor of Los Angeles must be confirmed as ambassador to New Delhi by the Senate, which, if it supports deep relations with Indian democracy against the Chinese giant, is worried about certain decisions of the nationalist government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Eric Garcetti assured senators on Tuesday that he “would actively raise” and “with humility” the issue of human rights with the government if he was confirmed in this post, and that he planned to “get involved directly with the civil society ”on this subject.
At the end of 2019, the Modi government passed a law that facilitates the granting of Indian citizenship to refugees from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh, provided they are not Muslims. This reform had provoked a vast movement of demonstrations in the country.
During the hearing of Mr. Garcetti, Bob Menendez, head of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, expressed concern about “reports of democratic retreat and discrimination against religious minorities.” ”
“New Delhi must respond to our concerns if it seeks to further deepen our bilateral relations”, added the Democratic senator.
Russian missiles S-400
Along with Republican Jim Risch, he was also concerned about the delivery to India by Vladimir Putin’s Russia of his S-400 long-range air defense systems.
A 2017 law requires the US government to impose sanctions on countries that enter into large arms contracts with Russia. This is how Turkey was sanctioned after buying the same Russian S-400s.
If the decision concerning India, historical customer of Russia for its weapons, has not yet been taken, Eric Garcetti assured that, as ambassador, he “would be very clear about the risks that this poses to our systems” if they worked alongside Russian military systems.
A spokesman for US diplomacy said Secretary of State Antony Blinken has yet to make a decision on the matter, but calls on all countries to “avoid major new arms contracts with Russia. ”
The current Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti, who will not be able to run again next year, is seen as one of the new national figures of the Democratic Party.