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India
/ Pakistan: After the New York spat
What
others
say..........
Tit
for tat at UN and later is all in the diplomatic game. Since
wars of words are only peripherals, the two countries have to start
in earnest to restart the peace process and restore some kind of
normalcy. Vajpayee's “step-by-step” approach does not evoke any
response in Islamabad. But what Musharraf has in mind is not
practical (see US China relations: how the two countries have come
to a working relationship after many wars of words and other
confrontations). As in the past, verbal onslaughts are always
interspersed with peace initiatives, whether they are fully fruitful
or not. Vajpayee's Srinagar initiative took everyone by surprise,
when he announced it immediately after a dreadful phase of
calculated murders by Pak-based infiltrators.
Perhaps
this time also, something similar has to happen, especially after
great expectations have been raised by a number of visits by
enlightened groups of citizens from both the countries to Delhi and
Islamabad. In an unsophisticated reference to these contacts by the
people of the two countries, Musharraf had evaluated their
significance as nothing substantial. Many days of visits, many hours
of speech-making and many socialite parties and congratulatory
messages do not count for much since they produce only a lemon,
Musharraf seems to think. Even so, contacts between the two peoples
should be continued, whatever Musharraf may think of them. It is not
in his interests that the two people should come to know each other
better, with some reduction in tension.
There
is no doubt that Islamabad is plotting to send more infiltrators
across the LoC, as was proved by the Indian army to the diplomats of
19 countries by producing a district commander of Lashkar-e-Toiba
who had come down from Pakistan to direct terrorist operations. In
spite of all that, peace initiatives are inevitable. Bus links have
been restored. What about air links now? Perhaps Musharraf would get
an opportune moment to make the announcement on air links on the eve
of SAARC summit in January in Islamabad. At the same time, Vajpayee
has to take a decision on personally attending the summit.
To
be in Islamabad and not to meet Musharraf one-to-one will be an
unpolitical exercise, which is unnecessary. Perhaps Vajpayee can
make some trade-related gesture to Pakistan, which that country is
hardly likely to reciprocate. Even so, there is nothing wrong if
India goes out of its way to give top priority to trade and commerce
which the business men of the two countries are eagerly waiting to
be put on a normal stage. But the Pakistan record in the matter is
rather dismal. Every effort to normalise trade in the SAARC region
has been circumvented by Pakistan. Then what hope normalcy now? In
the face of an increasing number of irritants on both sides,
improvement in trade is a far cry.
Pakistan
has the suspicion that India is behind the ban imposed by the
Commonwealth countries, ostracising Pakistan from the Commonwealth
Conference. Which is not being lifted even this year. That is a
Commonwealth decision, as more and more Commonwealth countries
become aware of the sinister role of Pakistan in exporting
terrorism, has no buyers in Islamabad. Similarly, Musharraf's
ranting against India's membership of the UN Security Council has
riled India to the extreme. What of the US good offices? The US
would go only to the present extent and no farther. The US annoyance
with India for not providing troops for Iraq is a major reason which
was reflected in the omission of India from the number of countries
targeted by terrorists mentioned by President Bush.
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