Celestial Takeover

DURING the swearing-in ceremony at the US State Department on November 10, in the presence of family,friends and prominent Indian-Americans, Richard Celeste, the new US Ambassador to India, said he was "blessed" to be accorded "such an important public service mission" by president Bill Clinton and secretary of state Madeleine Albright. After being unanimously confirmed by the Senate on November 5, Celeste was hurriedly sworn in and rushed to New Delhi to be in place for secretary Albright's visit to India scheduled for November 18.

Celeste, who turned 60 on November 10, acknowledged the inspiration of his mentor Chester Bowles, the American ambassador to India in the mid-60s. A Rhodes scholar and graduate from Yale University in 1959, Celeste served as special assistant to Bowles in India from 1963 to 1967, in what was his first public service assignment. His familiarity with India was reinforced in 1989, when as governor of Ohio, he led a trade mission to India.

A brief track record of his political career: Celeste served as a member of the Ohio general assembly from 1970 to 1974; was Ohio lieutenant governor from 1974 to 1978 and Ohio governor for two terms spanning 1982 to 1990; was head of the Peace Corps from 1979 to 1981. After retiring as governor in 1990, he established a firm, Celeste & Sabety Ltd., which works in the field of technology-driven economic development.

In contrast to all other Clinton nominees, Celeste has had a relatively smooth road to ambassadorship. He has enjoyed broad support with both parties because of his reputation as governor and his connection with Ambassador Bowles. His desire to be appointed as envoy to India since the early 1990s and close links with the Indian community in Ohio have been points clearly in his favour.

The fact that Senator Jesse Helms, the North Carolina Republican who as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has the power to deny a Senate vote to nominees he doesn't like was supportive of Celeste, further helped matters. Said Helms: "I think he's a pretty good fella. India's one of the best friends we have and if India likes to have Celeste, I have no problem."

That Celeste is friends with president Clinton, whom he has known since they were governors, has also gone in his favour. State Department officials are happy with the appointment even though Celeste is a political appointee rather than a career diplomat. A State Department official told 바카라: "With Indo-US relations on the upswing, we need a person who's close to Clinton, who can call the White House without going through bureaucratic loops. And, a successor who can match Frank Wisner's abilities."

바카라 웹사이트In his speech at the swearing-in, Celeste said that India, like the US, "is an enormously blessed country...blessed by its democracy, by the richness of its people, by the opportunities and challenges which confront it. I look forward to the challenges of this time and of this place and a very special time for that country, for which I have a very special place in my heart. "

Under secretary of state for management, Bonnie Cohen, who substituted for Albright at the swearing-in, read out the latter's message describing Celeste as the "right-hand man" to ambassador Bowles, during which period he "saw some of the key events in India's development, including the launch of the green revolution, the passing of the generational leadership from the great Nehru to Shastri to Nehru's daughter, Indira." Cohen added that Celeste "would take up his duties as ambassador at a most opportune time in US-India relations, which are growing deeper and broader at an almost daily pace." She predicted: "With his stellar record of public life, his keen and probing mind, his open manner and intellectual curiosity andhis knowledge of foreign affairs, Celeste will be a great ambassador. The foreign service, no less than US-India relations, will benefit from his appointment." Sherrod Brown, Ohio Democrat and a founder of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans, hailed the Senate's quick confirmation of Celeste, calling it "an important step towards further improving US-India relations." He added: "America's current emphasis on deeper relations with India is a welcome change from past policy... India continues to grow in economic and political significance and demands more active and thoughtful US engagement. With his firsthand knowledge of US-India ties, Celeste is just the right person to be entrusted with this important task."