Roemer is US envoy to India

NEW DELHI: US President Barack Obama has named former Democratic congressman Timothy J Roemer as the new US ambassador to India. Mr Roemer, who campaigned for Mr Obama during the presidential elections, has served on the commission investigating the 9/11 terror attacks and on a committee dealing with the prevention of nuclear proliferation.

At present, he is president of the Center for National Policy (CNP), a Washington-based thinktank which has a strong non-proliferation agenda.

If his nomination is approved by the Senate, Mr Roemer, who is a strong supporter of Mr Obama���s foreign policy, will replace David C Mulford, who finished his tenure and left at the beginning of the year. The Obama administration had appointed Peter Burleigh as US Charge d���Affaires for the interim period.

Mr Obama in a statement said the envoys would ���strengthen US partnerships abroad��� at a critical time for the country and the world. Indo-US ties have been relegated to the background due to the change in regime in the US followed by the elections in India.

The Obama administration���s focus in the region has been on Pakistan and Afghanistan, and defeating the Taliban. Apart from advocating known Democratic positions on outsourcing and the non-proliferation regime, there has been little discussion on other aspects of the Indo-US relationship. With Mr Roemer���s appointment and the Manmohan Singh government now in its second innings, these issues are expected to be addressed.

Before joining the Washington thinktank, Mr Roemer represented the 3rd District of Indiana for six terms as a US Congressman, from 1991 to 2003. He has written extensively on national security issues. Mr Roemer has served as a member of the 9/11 Commission, and on the commission on the prevention of weapons of mass destruction, proliferation and terrorism.

At present, he is serving on the Washington Institute for Near East Policy���s Presidential Task Force on combating the ideology of radical extremism, and the National Parks Second Century Commission.