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Indo-Pak Talks and the Role of the United States

by Zaglul A Chowdhury
***While The guns are active on The borders along Kashmir causing tensions, in The diplomatic front Too both countries expelled staffs of each other.***
THE third round of talks between India and Pakistan — two traditional hostile neighbours — began in the Indian capital and the parleys are to continue for four days. This is the continuation of the bilateral talks that was launched in March, this year, in New Delhi after a hiatus of three years, and then followed up in the second meeting in Islamabad and Maaree in Pakistan In June. The talks are taking place at the level of the foreign secretaries — the top ranking diplomatic positions — with the highest political level leadership pledging that their respective sides are attaching serious importance to the discussions in the pursuit of peace. Former Indlah foreign 1 secretary Sdlmkrt Haider and his Pakistani counterpart Shamshad Ahmad led the first two rounds of discussions and the political and the media circles in both countries focused enormously on the parleys while the international attention also took note of the developments since the New Delhi -Islamabad contacts at high level resumed after a long gap and the development itself was seen as important regardless of their eventual outcome. The third round of talks will have a change in the leadership of the Indian side as new foreign secretary K Raghunath will head his country's team while Mr Ahmad will continue to lead Pakistan side. Mr Raghunath, the Immediate past Indian high commissioner to Bangladesh before the incumbent Deb Mukherjee, was associated with the talks in the second round in Pakistan when his predecessor Mr Haider led the Indian delegation.
The current round of talks is receiving particular attention because prime ministers of both countries are travelling to the United Nations within a few days for the General Assembly
session which often attract the world leaders. Normally, the foreign ministers lead their delegations of the UNGA which every year see some leaders like the presidents, prime ministers and others address the session.
Both prime minister Inder Kumar Gujral and prime minister Nawaz Sharif will be there in the third and fourth week of the current month and are expected to meet over a breakfast and obviously the complex bi lateral issues will come up tot i discussions even though the, talk*.will be unstructured in nature. But what is more important in this context is the reported interest by the United States that President Bill Clinton, who is likely to be in New York the same time and is stated to meet both the prime ministers, may urge both the leaders of the south Asian re-gon to make more serious ef-rts for a settlement of their problems.
The signals that came out earlier that Washington is keen to see two neighbours bury their differences and talk more seriously to reduce tension over Kashmir — the main bone of contention in their belligerent ties — were initially interpreted in varying degrees in both India and Pakistan. India does not favour any mediation or other countries taking interest in Indo-Pakistan disputes particularly on Kashmir and reports that President Clinton will talk this issue with Mr Gujral were not received well in the official circles in New Delhi. There were different perceptions on the American approach in the official and unofficial circles in India and finally it emerged that Mr Gujral’s talks with the
United States president will cover no substantial IndoPakistan matters
Evidently. New Delhi wants to restrict the subjects related to Islamabad within the bilateral plane. Pakistan is keen to take up serious talks with India on the Kashmir issue In the bilat eral context and two countries came up with their own interpretations about the "progress" that was made in two previous rounds of parleys. During the last round of talks. Pakistan
be discussed by »wo countries — a position which India hitherto did not accept while Indian side maintains that there has been no change at all in its approach to the problem centering
Kashmir Sensing that United States is putting subtle pressure on both the countries for real bargaining in the bilateral relationship. press in both countries have alerted their governments of their own task while making efforts to improve the ties.
The United States Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian affairs Carl F Inderfurth has paid a visit to this region and the trip has taken himSo both India and Pakistan in addition to Bangladesh. Sri Lanka and Nepal. He has succeeded high-flying Ms Robin Raphel who looked after this region for more that four years after Washington set up the South Asia Bureau in its policy-making territorial desk considering the Importance of the area. It was tne first visit of Mr Inderfurth after taking up the new assignment and he discussed core issue of tensions and differences in the populous
region with the leaders of two countries although he called his trip as essentially to familiarise himself with the on-go-ing developments here. He said the United States Is keen to Involve Itself more closely with the region and this will be reflected in the dealings of Washington in the days ahead
The visit of the senior US of ficial to this region ahead of the visit of the prime ministers of India and Pakistan to New York and the third round of secretary level talks between two coup--"TrX$ tends :additional ^fgnifi canoe and interest to the state of Indo-Pakistan ties. Clearly, the Clinton administration is keen to see that two key players in the south Asian spectrum — India and Pakistan — lessen their belligerence and a more healthy atmosphere conducive to peace and stability is created in the region. Whatever be the American strategy to these two countries, it can be argued that Washington will be at more ease if the two traditional foes play down their differences and effectively make some progress in normalising ties. Both nations are understandably capable of using nuclear weapons and the US cannot relish a situation when such a possibility of their use in the region at any stage becomes distinct. It remains to be seen how the visits of Mr Gujral and Mr Sharif to the UN go off and what transpires from their meetings with the American president. These en gagements seem to be on the itinerary of both the leaders.
The third round of Indo-Pakistan talks was about to be marred by certain development not conducive to a healthy bilateral contact. While the guns
are active on the borders along Kashmir causing tensions, In the diplomatic front too both countries expelled staffs of each other from missions in their respective capitals. It Is not surprising or unusual but certainly does not augur well before a scheduled Important meeting.
India and Pakistan have fought two wars on Kashmir with India controlling two thirds and Pakistan one third
of the territory. Islamabad wants to change status quo by allowing the Kashmiris to determine their fate. India is against giving away anything from the territory. Any talk between the two nations will in a way revolve around the crux of Pakistan demands for "rights of the Kashmiris" and India accusations of Islamabad fomenting insurgency and terrorism in its integral part. While the talks are continuing between the two warring sides, at least back-stage efforts by well wishers like the US can help narrow down differences and reduce tensions without altering their fundamental policies.