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Indo-Pak Relations: Change of Hearts?

It will be naive to expect that their ties will improve dramatically and problems quickly resolved, but then a happy trend will not only benefit the two countries but also the South Asian region where one fifth of the humanity live.

by Zaglul A Chowdhury
THE latest round of talks between India and Pakistan is widely seen as qualitatively different from many of such dialogues that the two arch rivals held from time to time. The kind of mistrust and misgivings that characterise the ties of the two neighbours since their creation out of the erstwhile subcontinent is too well-known and the discussions that the two countries had during the last fifty years to reduce tensions only at times raised pious hopes of a better relationship while the parleys collapsed on most occasions without producing any tangible outcome. Any talk between New Delhi and Islamabad has to be seen in this wider context and whenever two .sides seek to discuss/the:. political issues of contentious . nature, it is generally assumed that the talks are more a kind of rhetoric and ritualistic in nature.
However, it does not mean that the two sides did not have fruitful discussions during the long years of their bitter and at times belligerent relationship. They did put the vexed issues on the backburner and sought to develop the ties in other areas like trade, culture etc. But serious political talks have always led to a kind of outcome that seldom helped improve their ties even though two sides Sreed to meet again. The result the recent talks appears to be little different although it remains to be seen how far the two countries can exploit the good omens created by the last round of discussions to improve their neighbourliness.
When Iridian foreign secretary Salman Haider and his
parleys in Pakistan, both were smiling. Both said something different was there for the people of the two countries since the foreign secretary level discussions led to an agreement on a .series of issues including the "confidence building measures" (CBM). This term may seem intriguing for many but for the two arch rivals the CBM is definitely a step forward to develop their ties by removing the traditional hostilities that broadly govern their relations. They saifiLtwo countries are seel^qg, to put fifty years of rivalry and war behind them and agreed for agenda and negotiating mechanism for future peace talks. Importantly, the "Kashmir" problem, which is the crux of the bitter relations between them, will also be discussed in the next round of talks in September to be held in New Delhi. There are other issues that the two countries will talk in the future to continue the current positive ambience of discussions.
The talks in Islamabad and hill resort station of Muree were second round between the two countries since the serious bid to improve the ties began at the foreign secretary level in March this year. When the third round will take place in New Delhi. India will have a new foreign secretary in Mr K Raghunath, the suave and experienced diplomat, who was high commissioner to Bangladesh not too long ago. He is the foreign secretary-designate and was in the Indian delegation led
by Mr Haider to Pakistan. Mr Salman Haider relinquishes his office soon after an eventful career that saw him getting an extension for one year as the foreign secretary which is very rare and given to only outstanding officials in India.
The current trend of positive discussions between New Delhi and Islamabad began through the first round of talks (in March) in the Indian capital, when their foreign secretaries sat down to discuss the yexed H and, pugnacious, matters that have been affecting their bilateral ties. The meeting itself was after a long gap at high level and it was made possible by the heads of two government. Mr ■ Inder Kumar Gujral was still i the external affairs minister in the Deve Gowda government but in that capacity he had initiated measures to improve ties with the neighbours like Pakistan. Bangladesh and Nepal by settling the bilateral problems as far as possible. When he became the prime rninister of a new UF government in India. Mr Gujral naturally found it even easier to pursue his peace moves. Incidentally, and fortunately for both India and Pakistan. Mr Nawaz Sharifs becoming the prime minister of his country for a second stint came as a positive development for the two nations.
Both Gujral and Sharif are from Punjab — to be more precise. west Punjab which is now in Pakistan. Their commonality raised hopes for a better political climate between the two
countries and both leaders responded positively to the peace overtures despite their limitations on certain matters considered crucial to their national policies. The first round of talks in New Delhi among the delegations led by Mr Salman Haider and Mr Shamshad Ahmad did not produce anything much substantia) but it really helped creation of a healthy condition propitious for good results. Then Mr Gujral and Mr Sharif met in the ninth SAARC summit In Male when they met bilaterally on the sjagjine.,of, the summit and took several important decisions like setting up hotlines between them. The two leaders also took some commercial decisions like India importing electricity from the arch rival which hitherto seemed absurd. It is in this pattern the second round of talks at foreign secretary level took place in Pakistan and both sides acknowledged as meaningful and leading to establishment of trust, confidence and friendship.
Certainly, the change of political leadership in both countries is casting a sobering impact on the entire scene. Mr Gujral, who twice served as Indian external affairs minister before becoming prime minister, is known for keenness to develop better ties with neighbours. Mr Sharif was not seen as an experienced politician during his first term as premier but he has developed in maturity and wisdom this time as a statesman. His observations as an opposi-
tion leader and his remarks on different matters on becoming the prime minister again speak of this positive' direction. At the earliest opportunity, he called the Bangladesh prime minister also over telephone to discuss bilateral ties and other matters in a brief conversation.
Mr Gujral also took efforts for settling problems like water issue with Dhaka. The water and other Issues are a matter of debate for the politicians and it remains to be seen who can ' score better on this count In Bangladesh but Mr Gujral's personal image is well taken in this country compared to many other Indian leaders. So. when Mr Gujral and Mr Sharif talk about their complex bilateral Issues, hopes are not unduly raised without forgetting that they too have compulsions.
Not surprisingly, debates are going on in both countries on the outcome of the latest round of talks which have produced at least some concrete results. In Pakistan, it is a generally seen that the agreement which provides talks in the future on "Kashmir" is a gain for Islamabad since India so far refused to discuss the "future of Kashmir." In India, the government has made it clear that New Delhi would discuss all issues that generate tensions and in the process has demonstrated its sincerity and realism In dealing with Issues to improve ties. The Janata Dal, the main component of the UF government. of which Mr Gujra
leader, welcomed the outcome while its coalition partners like the leftist parties emressed cautious optimism. The BJP, the main opposition party, whose leader A B Vajpayee often takes credit of improving ties with the neighbours including Bangladesh and Pakistan when he was foreign minister in the Janata Party government, has not opposed the outcome but is critically examining it. Mr Salman Haider on return to India said Indo-Pakistan talks are not a "boxing match” so that it has to be assessed in terms of who won the first or the second round. He said the realistic approach, the policy to improve the ties and welfare of the peoples of both countries should get priority in talks. The Kashmir's escalating trouble and the reports of deployment of Tritffyi missiles along the border with Pakistan by India soured bilateral relations during the interregnum of the first and second round of talks. Still, two sides could contain the situation
There are hawks in both sides. Some sections of people in Kashmir are opposing the talks, saying they must participate in the process since Kashmir is the crux of the Indo-Pakistan relationship. Complications are there for both sides to improve the relationship. Nevertheless. efforts on optimistic note can continue. It will be naive to expect that their Ues will improve dramatically and problems quickly resolved, but then a happy trend will not only benefit the two countries but also the South Asian region where one fifth of the humanity live. Prudence and wisdom must dominate and the doves should have the ascendancy over the hawks because the issues entail the overall welfare of the people of the region.