ദേവായാനി സംഭവം: ചര്‍ച്ചയ്‌ക്ക്‌ തയാറെന്ന്‌ യുഎസ്‌ സ്‌റ്റേറ്റ്‌ സെക്രട്ടറി
Published on 20 December, 2013
ന്യൂയോര്‍ക്ക്‌: ഡപ്യൂട്ടി കോണ്‍സല്‍ ജനറല്‍ ഡോ. ദേവയാനി ഖൊബ്രഗഡെയ്‌ക്കെതിരെ
പരിചാരിക നല്‍കിയ കേസിനെ ചര്‍ച്ചയ്‌ക്ക്‌ തയാറെന്ന്‌ യുഎസ്‌ സ്‌റ്റേറ്റ്‌
സെക്രട്ടറി ഇന്ത്യയെ അറിയിച്ചു. ഇന്ത്യന്‍ വിദേശകാര്യമന്ത്രി സല്‍മാന്‍
ഖുര്‍ഷിദുമായി ഉടന്‍ ചര്‍ച്ച നടത്തുമെന്ന്‌ യുഎസ്‌ സ്‌റ്റേറ്റ്‌ സെക്രട്ടറി ജോണ്‍
കെറി വ്യക്തമാക്കി.
ദേവയാനിയെ ന്യൂയോര്‍ക്കില്‍ ഐക്യരാഷ്‌ട്ര സംഘടനാ ആസ്‌ഥാനത്തെ സ്‌ഥിരം മിഷനിലേക്കു മാറ്റിയതുകൊണ്ട്‌ അവര്‍ സ്‌ഥലംമാറ്റത്തിനു മുന്‍പു ചെയ്ത കുറ്റത്തില്‍ നിന്നു നയതന്ത്ര സംരക്ഷണം ലഭിക്കില്ലെന്നും യുഎസ്‌ നേരത്തേ വ്യക്‌തമാക്കിയിരുന്നു. ദേവയാനിക്കെതിരായ ആരോപണങ്ങള്‍ അതീവ ഗൗരവമുള്ളതാണെന്നും അമേരിക്കന്‍ അധികൃതര്‍ പറഞ്ഞു.
അതിനിടെ സംഭവം രൂക്ഷമാക്കാന്‍ യുഎസ്‌ താല്‍പര്യപ്പെടുന്നില്ലെന്നാണു ഇന്ത്യന്‍ വിദേശകാര്യമന്ത്രി സല്‍മാന്‍ ഖുര്‍ഷിദ്‌ പറഞ്ഞു. ഇരുരാജ്യങ്ങളും തമ്മിലുള്ള മൂല്യവത്തായ ഉഭയകക്ഷി ബന്ധം സംരക്ഷിക്കപ്പെടേണ്ടതിനെക്കുറിച്ചു താന്‍ ബോധവാനാണെന്നു ഖുര്‍ഷിദ്‌ പറഞ്ഞു.
യുഎസ്‌ രാഷ്‌ട്രീയകാര്യ അണ്ടര്‍ സെക്രട്ടറി വെന്‍ഡി ഷെര്‍മാനും ഇന്ത്യന്‍ വിദേശകാര്യ സെക്രട്ടറി സുജാത സിങ്ങും ഇന്നലെയും ചര്‍ച്ച നടത്തി. കഴിഞ്ഞദിവസം യുഎസ്‌ സ്‌റ്റേറ്റ്‌ സെക്രട്ടറി ജോണ്‍ കെറി ദേശീയ സുരക്ഷാ ഉപദേഷ്‌ടാവ്‌ ശിവശങ്കര്‍ മേനോനുമായി ഫോണില്‍ സംസാരിക്കുകയും ഖേദം പ്രകടിപ്പിക്കുകയും ചെയ്‌തിരുന്നു. പ്രസിഡന്റ്‌ ബറാക്‌ ഒബാമയെ യുഎസ്‌ അധികൃതര്‍ വിവരങ്ങള്‍ ധരിപ്പിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട്‌. ഒറ്റപ്പെട്ട സംഭവം എന്നാണു വൈറ്റ്‌ഹൗസ്‌ ഇതേക്കുറിച്ചു പ്രതികരിച്ചത്‌. ദേവയാനിക്കെതിരെയുള്ള പരാതി വീട്ടുജോലിക്കാരി പിന്‍വലിച്ചാലും കേസ്‌ നിലനില്‍ക്കുമെന്ന സൂചനയാണു യുഎസ്‌ വിദേശകാര്യ വക്‌താവ്‌ മേരി ഹാര്‍ഫ്‌ ഇന്നലെ നല്‍കിയത്‌.
US softens tone, but still no apology or dropping of charges
Washington, Dec 21 : A week into their diplomatic spat, the US responded with a softened tone to India's reconciliatory stress on preserving their "valuable" ties, but made no move to drop the charges against an Indian diplomat or offer an apology.
President Barack Obama left for Hawaii for his annual holiday without referencing the spat with India at his hour-long yearend press conference, an indication perhaps that the issue was not on his table and was not deemed serious enough to merit a comment from the White House.
Both countries meanwhile engaged in diplomatic conversations at various levels to find a solution to the stand-off sparked by the arrest of Devyani Khobragade, State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki told reporters Friday when asked if an apology was forthcoming. Instead she pointed to the comments of Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid earlier "where he talked about the importance of US-India relations, talked about how valuable they are.
"And we certainly fully agree that it's important to preserve and protect our partnership. It's not just about diplomatic ties," Psaki said. "So we will continue these discussions through diplomatic channels, through private conversations."
On the issue of dropping the charges of visa fraud against Khobragade, India's deputy consul general in New York, Psaki stood firm saying "this is now a legal case, and of course the State Department doesn't have jurisdiction over that."
Even as she acknowledged that "our law enforcement authorities and the Government of India have some different interpretations of the issues and allegations at play," the official said "we have been clear about our position of certainly standing with our judicial colleagues."
On the issue of diplomatic immunity for Khobragade in her new job at India's Permanent Mission at the UN in New York, she said "when immunity is conferred, it does not retroactively take effect at a previous point in time, but relates solely to the diplomat's current status."
A change in status does not mean "a clean slate from past charges" and "Receiving diplomatic immunity does not nullify any previously existing criminal charges. Those remain on the books," Psaki said.
"Nor does obtaining diplomatic immunity protect the diplomat from prosecution indefinitely" Psaki stressed, suggesting that Khobragade's shift to UN would not necessarily keep her safe from the charges already filed.
The State Department, had "not yet received an official request through proper channels for re-accreditation" of the Indian diplomat, she said. But if and when it comes, grant of a different status "doesn't mean it wipes out past discretions."
UN spokesman Farhan Haq Friday said they UN "received notification to register Ms Devyani Khobragade as a member of the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations," and "is processing this request as per its standard procedures."
Meanwhile, Psaki said, US Secretary of State John Kerry looked forward to having a conversation "soon" with Khurshid, who was "not available" when he called him Wednesday night before speaking with National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon to express his regret at the situation.
"That's not scheduled. Obviously, we're lining up schedules on that."
Asked given the kind of exchanges between the two countries over the issue, she was confident that it will be resolved, Psaki again pointed to Khurshid's comments.
Noting that the Indian minister had "talked about how valuable the India-US relationship is, how important it is, how we want to preserve and protect our partnership," she said. "And that's our view, of course, as well."
"Now at the same time we of course are closely engaged with the Government of India, we're in close contact, and we want to move beyond this," Psaki said. "And I think we all recognize the importance of our long-term relationship."
Asked if the US was concerned about possible impact on its economic and trade relationship with India, the spokesperson said "certainly, our trade relationship is vitally important.
"We have a $90 billion bilateral trade partnership with India, and so that's one of the very important components of our comprehensive partnership," she said.
"It is something that we are certainly focused on, and we certainly want our relationship and all the important components to continue."
ദേവയാനിയെ ന്യൂയോര്‍ക്കില്‍ ഐക്യരാഷ്‌ട്ര സംഘടനാ ആസ്‌ഥാനത്തെ സ്‌ഥിരം മിഷനിലേക്കു മാറ്റിയതുകൊണ്ട്‌ അവര്‍ സ്‌ഥലംമാറ്റത്തിനു മുന്‍പു ചെയ്ത കുറ്റത്തില്‍ നിന്നു നയതന്ത്ര സംരക്ഷണം ലഭിക്കില്ലെന്നും യുഎസ്‌ നേരത്തേ വ്യക്‌തമാക്കിയിരുന്നു. ദേവയാനിക്കെതിരായ ആരോപണങ്ങള്‍ അതീവ ഗൗരവമുള്ളതാണെന്നും അമേരിക്കന്‍ അധികൃതര്‍ പറഞ്ഞു.
അതിനിടെ സംഭവം രൂക്ഷമാക്കാന്‍ യുഎസ്‌ താല്‍പര്യപ്പെടുന്നില്ലെന്നാണു ഇന്ത്യന്‍ വിദേശകാര്യമന്ത്രി സല്‍മാന്‍ ഖുര്‍ഷിദ്‌ പറഞ്ഞു. ഇരുരാജ്യങ്ങളും തമ്മിലുള്ള മൂല്യവത്തായ ഉഭയകക്ഷി ബന്ധം സംരക്ഷിക്കപ്പെടേണ്ടതിനെക്കുറിച്ചു താന്‍ ബോധവാനാണെന്നു ഖുര്‍ഷിദ്‌ പറഞ്ഞു.
യുഎസ്‌ രാഷ്‌ട്രീയകാര്യ അണ്ടര്‍ സെക്രട്ടറി വെന്‍ഡി ഷെര്‍മാനും ഇന്ത്യന്‍ വിദേശകാര്യ സെക്രട്ടറി സുജാത സിങ്ങും ഇന്നലെയും ചര്‍ച്ച നടത്തി. കഴിഞ്ഞദിവസം യുഎസ്‌ സ്‌റ്റേറ്റ്‌ സെക്രട്ടറി ജോണ്‍ കെറി ദേശീയ സുരക്ഷാ ഉപദേഷ്‌ടാവ്‌ ശിവശങ്കര്‍ മേനോനുമായി ഫോണില്‍ സംസാരിക്കുകയും ഖേദം പ്രകടിപ്പിക്കുകയും ചെയ്‌തിരുന്നു. പ്രസിഡന്റ്‌ ബറാക്‌ ഒബാമയെ യുഎസ്‌ അധികൃതര്‍ വിവരങ്ങള്‍ ധരിപ്പിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട്‌. ഒറ്റപ്പെട്ട സംഭവം എന്നാണു വൈറ്റ്‌ഹൗസ്‌ ഇതേക്കുറിച്ചു പ്രതികരിച്ചത്‌. ദേവയാനിക്കെതിരെയുള്ള പരാതി വീട്ടുജോലിക്കാരി പിന്‍വലിച്ചാലും കേസ്‌ നിലനില്‍ക്കുമെന്ന സൂചനയാണു യുഎസ്‌ വിദേശകാര്യ വക്‌താവ്‌ മേരി ഹാര്‍ഫ്‌ ഇന്നലെ നല്‍കിയത്‌.
US softens tone, but still no apology or dropping of charges
Washington, Dec 21 : A week into their diplomatic spat, the US responded with a softened tone to India's reconciliatory stress on preserving their "valuable" ties, but made no move to drop the charges against an Indian diplomat or offer an apology.
President Barack Obama left for Hawaii for his annual holiday without referencing the spat with India at his hour-long yearend press conference, an indication perhaps that the issue was not on his table and was not deemed serious enough to merit a comment from the White House.
Both countries meanwhile engaged in diplomatic conversations at various levels to find a solution to the stand-off sparked by the arrest of Devyani Khobragade, State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki told reporters Friday when asked if an apology was forthcoming. Instead she pointed to the comments of Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid earlier "where he talked about the importance of US-India relations, talked about how valuable they are.
"And we certainly fully agree that it's important to preserve and protect our partnership. It's not just about diplomatic ties," Psaki said. "So we will continue these discussions through diplomatic channels, through private conversations."
On the issue of dropping the charges of visa fraud against Khobragade, India's deputy consul general in New York, Psaki stood firm saying "this is now a legal case, and of course the State Department doesn't have jurisdiction over that."
Even as she acknowledged that "our law enforcement authorities and the Government of India have some different interpretations of the issues and allegations at play," the official said "we have been clear about our position of certainly standing with our judicial colleagues."
On the issue of diplomatic immunity for Khobragade in her new job at India's Permanent Mission at the UN in New York, she said "when immunity is conferred, it does not retroactively take effect at a previous point in time, but relates solely to the diplomat's current status."
A change in status does not mean "a clean slate from past charges" and "Receiving diplomatic immunity does not nullify any previously existing criminal charges. Those remain on the books," Psaki said.
"Nor does obtaining diplomatic immunity protect the diplomat from prosecution indefinitely" Psaki stressed, suggesting that Khobragade's shift to UN would not necessarily keep her safe from the charges already filed.
The State Department, had "not yet received an official request through proper channels for re-accreditation" of the Indian diplomat, she said. But if and when it comes, grant of a different status "doesn't mean it wipes out past discretions."
UN spokesman Farhan Haq Friday said they UN "received notification to register Ms Devyani Khobragade as a member of the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations," and "is processing this request as per its standard procedures."
Meanwhile, Psaki said, US Secretary of State John Kerry looked forward to having a conversation "soon" with Khurshid, who was "not available" when he called him Wednesday night before speaking with National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon to express his regret at the situation.
"That's not scheduled. Obviously, we're lining up schedules on that."
Asked given the kind of exchanges between the two countries over the issue, she was confident that it will be resolved, Psaki again pointed to Khurshid's comments.
Noting that the Indian minister had "talked about how valuable the India-US relationship is, how important it is, how we want to preserve and protect our partnership," she said. "And that's our view, of course, as well."
"Now at the same time we of course are closely engaged with the Government of India, we're in close contact, and we want to move beyond this," Psaki said. "And I think we all recognize the importance of our long-term relationship."
Asked if the US was concerned about possible impact on its economic and trade relationship with India, the spokesperson said "certainly, our trade relationship is vitally important.
"We have a $90 billion bilateral trade partnership with India, and so that's one of the very important components of our comprehensive partnership," she said.
"It is something that we are certainly focused on, and we certainly want our relationship and all the important components to continue."
EMalayalee Available in MediaAppUSA
Copyright © 2024 emalayalee.com - All Rights Reserved.
Webmastered by MIPL, Web Hosting Calicut Kerala
Based on what I know so far, this is not an Issue Indian Americans should fight for. There are so many others! There are issues on both sides: Davyani falsified document which most people do to get what they want when needed. Sangeetha knew what she needed to do to get asylum visa from India that most Indians don't know. Davyani’s arrest was done according to procedure per reports. Of course, this should not have happened the way it did. I wish Indians stay out of this. Let the issue play out. Even in India, what they are doing is going overboard. It will hurt India and Indians here in the end. But that is India.