Atlasia-India Free Trade Bill

[afleitch]

I'm waiting to hear from the Secretary of State as to his thoughts on this Bill before proceeding with a possible amendment.

Thank you Senator. I will, later on today lay out my position on the bill. For now I can say I am concerned that an economic snub to the words largest democracy could, in my mind, turn out to be a diplomatic nightmare. We need to keep India on side. I would support any justifiable amendment that can keep this bill from falling, even if it results in more restricted or conditional free trade than I personally would have liked.

[afleitch]

I don't have to say as much as I was prepared to earlier as those in support of this bill have pretty much made the case for it as clear as possible.

In response to Jerusalemcar's point, while it is important we main a heathly if uncomfortable relationship with Musharraf it has to be stressed that Pakistan is no where as near as economically and politically advanced as India. I can understand that India's strongthening economy and service sector may be seen as a threat to Atlasian economic interests, but to suggest that India is managing just fine with its relationship to China is naive. Tensions between the two nations are still in existance but they have been suspended as both nations need stability in order to help their economies flourish. If one country undergoes an economic downturn this haphazard 'pact' is shattered.

If these two nations ever go to war, it will be over economic issues or issues in realtion to economics such as energy, water and so forth. Therefore we have to be very careful in how we handle economics and trade in this region. China may be a trading parter, but she can never be as strong and as genuine a friend to us both militaily and politically as India is.

[afleitch]

Yes, I believe the problem of white-collar jobs being moved overseas is an issue, which can, and, more importantly, should, be addressed with other appropriate legislation

'Hawk'

I concur with the Senator. While it is outwith my briefing as Secretary of State to discuss matters of national economic interest I believe that free trade has a foundation in both economic and foreign policy. Both must be argued and debated. My own support for the bill is on purely diplomatic reasons yet I am also aware of the economic implications of the bill on Atlasian industry and on the lives of our citizens.

Yet India cannot and should not be held aloft as a lone scapegoat for economic uncertainty and neither should sound foreign policy be sacrified in order to appease economic woes. Atlasia faces dozens of international economic competitors, who are also political allies with whom we freely trade including our friends and allies in Europe. It is, as Senator Hawk has suggested, far more sensible to deal with the problems of outsourcing and other economic pressures within a seperate piece of legislation.