The Hindu : Steps planned to reduce tension with Pak. in the sea

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 12, 2003

National

National

Steps planned to reduce tension with Pak. in the sea

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI NOV 11. India will shortly propose several measures, including a permanent hotline, flag meetings aboard ships and common fishing zones, to reduce tensions with Pakistan on the high seas.

The Government has asked the Coast Guard to formulate the exact mechanism to implement these confidence-building measures, part of New Delhi's dozen Diwali peace initiatives.

The proposed Coast Guard hotline with its Pakistani counterpart will be broadly similar to the existing one with Sri Lanka. ``We have meetings with Sri Lankan authorities aboard ships at regular intervals,'' said the Coast Guard Director General, Sureesh Mehta. He declined to specify a time frame for completing the preliminary exercise, ``as these things take their time''.

Proposing a no fishing zone or a common fishing zone near the notional maritime boundary with Pakistan could prevent arrests of fishermen. ``At the time of the arrest, they (the fishermen) do not know what wrong they have committed,'' noted Vice Admiral Mehta.

They cannot afford the costly direction-finding tools. He said the sea close to Pakistan's maritime boundary had more marine life. Vice-Admiral Mehta admitted that there was a certain amount of infiltration through fishing boats, but felt that regular communication channels with Pakistan would solve the problem.

The Government was taking steps to improve intelligence by ensuring a closer coordination among police of the coastal States, the Customs, the Border Security Force and the Coast Guard.

It was contemplating a `hub and spoke' arrangement with the Coast Guard as the fulcrum to improve intelligence-sharing to combat arms and drug running, terrorism and infiltration more effectively.

Vice-Admiral Mehta asserted that there were now fewer incidents of gun running due to the increased vigil by the Coast Guard and the Navy.

The Coast Guard had sought legislative powers to inspect ships entering Indian ports. Several narrow escapes from ecological disasters were reported in the wake of sinking of old ships.

Of the seven ships that sank in or near the Indian waters over the past year, five were perilously close to the harbours and beaches.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National