Bill Clinton: “I can answer you the three questions very quickly, or two, and then you had one for the Prime Minister. First of all…”

“I can answer you the three questions very quickly, or two, and then you had one for the Prime Minister. First of all, when two nations are friends, it doesn't mean that they agree on everything or that they should. But in the context of their friendly relationships, they are then able to discuss differences, problems, or issues between them. We discussed in a very, I think, open way all the things that you might imagine we discussed today. But I have been disturbed by the apparent either strain or perhaps the better word is limitation on the relationships between the U.S. and India as reported in the press, not only here but in your country. We have a very great stake, it seems to me, in the end of the cold war in having not only a friendly relationship but a constructive and operating relationship--we, the two great democracies, with a great future together. And we emphasized that positive today, not in any way not dealing with other issues of difficulty, but knowing that it all has to be put in a proper context in the interests of the American people and in the interests of the Indian people. Secondly, with regard to the Security Council issue, that is an issue that I think the United States should keep an open mind on. We have been on record--I have personally and our administration has--for some considerable amount of time favoring permanent membership for Germany and for Japan, who were our two principal opponents in World War II and who since then have built enormous economic superpowers in the context of peaceful countries, not on the backs of military domination, not even with the development of nuclear weapons but basically because of their enormous ability to develop the capacities of their people. That does not mean that I think we should have a definitive position prohibiting anybody else from participating in that way. I think that's something we should keep an open mind on. Prime Minister Rao. I think I owe you an answer. My arm is absolutely intact. The President didn't even touch it. [Laughter]”