India First Edition

Turbulent times also a moment of Opportunity: Henry Kissinger

NEW DELHI: America today faces a moment of complexity but it also faces a moment of opportunities, said Dr. Henry A. Kissinger, chairman, Kissinger Associates, USA here today. Addressing the 24th India Economic Summit, jointly organized by Confederation of Indian Industry and the World Economic Forum in New Delhi,  Kissinger  called for a more multilateral approach in American foreign policy.
The session was being moderated by Mr. Tarun Das, Chief Mentor, CII who put across several questions to Kissinger on the road ahead in terms of the relationship between America and other countries under the new American President.

On the relationship with Russia, he said “The challenge for Obama will be to try and engage in a dialogue and to take necessary steps swiftly and consciously to resolve the disputes”. In comparison to the post-Cold War era, the relationship is not as confrontational, he said. On China, he said that the country needs to deal with an international system of equals though any kind of power struggle with the US appears unlikely. Dr. Kissinger said that India’s interests are not only complementary but almost identical to those of the US.

Showing his concerns on the financial sector reform he said “the leaders must take a holistic approach towards the situation as the problem is not only technical but structural as well”.

In the second part of the session, the discussion moved on the India political landscape after the general elections in 2009. Mr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Member of Parliament and National Spokesperson, Congress Party, India felt that a coalition government is likely to come to power after the elections in India. However, the relationship with the United States will not be affected, as there is political consensus supporting better relations with the US.

Mr. Amar Singh, Member of Parliament said “The nationalist parties are getting marginalized and regional parties will play an important role in the new coalition government”. However, he felt that communalism is a much bigger danger today compared to regionalism.

Mr. D. Raja, Member of Parliament, National Secretary, CPI felt that some policy decisions of the present government need to be reviewed and the need of the hour is to stick to the common minimum program of the UPA. “There is a need to take a look at the problems at the grass root level of the economy”, he said.