US seeks security of diplomats after furious India retaliates

Washington: The US Tuesday appealed to India to uphold the Vienna Convention principles and ensure the safety and security of its diplomats stationed in the country, as New Delhi took a series of steps in response to the arrest and inhuman treatment of its diplomat in New York last week. “We have conveyed at high levels to the government of India our expectation that India will continue to fulfil all of its obligations under the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations and consular relations. Obviously the safety and security of our diplomats and consular officers in the field is a top priority,” the State Department Deputy Spokesperson Marie Harf told reporters at her daily news conference. “We’ll continue to work with India to ensure that all of our diplomats and consular officers are being afforded full rights and protections. Safety and security of our facilities as well is something we take very seriously, and we’ll keep working with the Indians on that,” she said. [caption id=“attachment_1292913” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Devyani Khobragade. IBNLive[/caption] Harf was responding to questions about the withdrawal of certain privileges given by India to US diplomats in the country after the arrest and the alleged inhuman treatment of Devyani Khobragade. The Indian government was informed about the allegations of visa fraud against Khobragade in September, she claimed. “The State Department advised the embassy of the Republic of India in writing in September of allegations of abuse made by an Indian national against the Deputy Consular General of India in New York,” she said in response to a question. The United States will continue to have conversations with the Indian government to make sure their facilities are properly secured, Harf said. Top State Department officials, including the Deputy Secretary William Burns, the Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Nisha Desai Biswal and the US Ambassador to India Nancy Powell have been in close communications with top Indian officials in this regard, she said, adding that a lot of demarches have been issued by India on this issue. She said US Secretary of State John Kerry is aware of the issue. “We have called on them to uphold all of their obligations under the Vienna Convention, everything that they are obligated to do according to our diplomats rights and all of the things that go under the Vienna Convention,” Harf said. The 1999-batch IFS officer was released on a $250,000 bond after pleading not guilty in court. In New Delhi, India reacted sharply to the arrest and strip search of Khobragade and initiated several steps to downgrade privileges enjoyed by American diplomats and their families, including withdrawing of airport passes and stopping import clearances for the US Embassy. India also asked all US Consulate personnel and their families to turn in their ID cards immediately which will “now be downgraded on par with with what the US provides to our Consulates”, sources said. During her daily news conference, Harf said under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, the Indian Deputy Consul General enjoys immunity from the jurisdiction of US courts only for acts performed in the exercise of consular functions. “There’s different kinds of immunity. This isn’t just in the US; it’s all around the world. So in this case, she fell under that specific kind of immunity, and would be liable to arrest pending trial pursuant a felony arrest warrant,” she said. “The United States and India enjoy a broad and deep friendship, and this isolated episode is not indicative of the close and mutually respectful ties we share. India earlier summoned US Ambassador to New Delhi Nancy Powell and issued a demarche over the arrest of Khobragade. National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon described the incident as “despicable and barbaric”. His strong comments came as Indian leaders, including Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, refused to meet a US Congressional delegation as a mark of protest over the treatment meted out to the diplomat. Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar and Menon had cancelled their meetings with the US delegation Monday. US authorities alleged that Khobragade made “false statements” in the visa application of an Indian national employed as a babysitter and housekeeper at her home in New York. PTI