10 July 2004	Saturday	21 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425

NEW YORK, July 9: US presidential candidate Senator John Kerry said on Friday that his administration would open the door of opportunity for the South Asian immigrants and also fight for their rights.

Addressing a breakfast meeting of South Asian immigrants in New York, Mr Kerry noted that "the United States has lost its way under this (Bush) administration" and assured the audience that his team would work hard to restore the American values of justice and fairplay.

Senator Kerry and his running mate, Senator John Edwards, were guests at a breakfast organized by the community leaders from South Asian countries, including US representatives of some of the Pakistani parties.

Besides Senators Kerry and Edwards, two senators from New York - Hillary Clinton and Chuck Schumer - also addressed the gathering. None of the speakers, however, touched on issues relating to Pakistan-India ties, nor on the problems being faced by the South Asian community in the United States since 9/11.

All the Democratic Party leaders focussed on were issues relating to their election campaign. It was the first time the South Asians - about 500 Indians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis - organized a fundraiser at which they pledged their support to Kerry and Edwards.