US blacklists two Indian firms
January 02, 2006
At a time when India and the US are looking at dates on offer – Feb 28 to March 1 – to firm up President Bush’s visit to India, Washington’s decision to blacklist two Indian companies has irked South Block.
Two Indian chemical companies along with six Chinese-run firms and one Austrian firm have been banned for doing business with the US for allegedly selling missile goods and chemical arms material to Iran. The penalties apparently have been under consideration for the last several weeks and have been approved by the Deputy Secretary of state, Robert Zeollick. Reports from the US say they will be formally published in the federal register over the next several days.
The two Indian firms identified are: Sabero Organics Chemical and the Sandya Organics Chemicals. The first company is run by Mohit Chuganee, a US national holding a PIO card. His company came under the scanner for exporting a single 200-tonne consignment of phosphate two years ago to Raja Shimi Industries in Iran. He claims that he followed all rules under the Chemical Weapons Convention and obtained an end-user certificate stating that this was meant for pesticide production.
India has strongly protested against the US sanctions calling the action “unjustified”. In a statement, the Foreign Office said, “Our preliminary assessment is that the transfer of such chemicals is not in violation of our obligations or our international obligations.” “The imposition of sanctions is thus, in the view of the Government of India, is unjustified, the statement said.
India’s reaction was matched by the howls of protest from Beijing. Reacting angrily, the Chinese Foreign Ministry expressed “strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition” to the sanctions. It demanded a change in this “mistaken action”.
What has frustrated New Delhi is the timing of the announcement just like the one last September when two Indian scientists were blacklisted under the same Iran Non-Proliferation Act, 2000. Each time a milestone is crossed, sources said, such an announcement spoils the atmosphere.
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US blacklists two Indian firms,India and the World, News Analysis, India News Online