US POLICY IN SOUTH ASIA AFTER THE END OF COLD WAR

US strategy in South Asia after the Cold war was driven by a desire to build the balance of power that would shut out the growth of any regional hegemony. Attention that US gave to South Asia resulted from the end of the Cold war situation in the region: confrontation between India and Pakistan which strove for possession of nuclear weapons that could lead to the destabilization of the whole region. In the beginning of 1990s US tried to decide whether to continue support of Pakistan, their close ally during the Cold war, or it is better to strengthen relations with the developing India, and which of the two is worth being the US strategic partner. In 1994 the first step to improve relations between India and US was made. At the meeting with prime-minister of India Narosima Rao the issues of economic and trade cooperation as well as nonproliferation of nuclear weapons were raised. By the end of 1990s US focus on relations with India became clearer; it can be explained by the shift in India's policy from ''alienated democracy'' to ''attractive democracy'' in the post-cold era. In 1998 India and Pakistan tested nuclear weapons. Those nuclear tests led to a shift in US foreign policy: from nonproliferation of nuclear weapons to much broader goals. The goals were to prevent nuclear war, to promote the spread of democracy and international stability, to ensure economic growth and to foster political and military cooperation. Despite the fact that Indo-Pakistani nuclear tests had polarized US Congress, Clinton administration's strive to promote cooperation with South Asia was heightened with US national interest. In general, US policy in South Asia at this period of time could be described as a rethinking of the region's role in terms of US strategic interests. In fact at some time the change of US geographic priorities can be noted. The continuous maneuvering between India and Pakistan is the evidence that White House sought, on the one hand, not to lose Pakistan with its influence in Afghanistan, and, on the other hand, to show a willingness to make concessions to India in order to build new relations which could overgrow to the strategic partnership. Further the Republican Party went the same path when it tried to come closer with India and prevent rapprochement between Pakistan and China.