The Hindu : `Elections will not affect talks with Pakistan'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 30, 2004

International

International - India & World

`Elections will not affect talks with Pakistan'

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, JAN. 29. India has said that the proposed general elections will not affect the process of normalisation of ties with Pakistan and commencement of the composite dialogue scheduled from February 16 to 18.

The Indian High Commissioner, Shivshankar Menon, told a gathering of the English Speakers' Union in the port city of Karachi today that if the process is to be sustained progress has to be made on ensuring that terror and violence are eliminated.

In his brief outline on `India-Pakistan relations,' Mr. Menon said the January 6 joint press statement (JPS) — issued after the meeting between the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf — showed the way forward for both the countries to continue the dialogue process to settle complex issues like Jammu and Kashmir.

"The JPS shows us the way forward. If the process is to be sustained, we need to make progress on ensuring that terror and violence are eliminated. We must also make progress in addressing bilateral issues, including Jammu and Kashmir, to the satisfaction of both sides," he said.

However, sounding a note of caution, he said: "We recognise that there will be considerable challenges in the days ahead. To stay on course we require sincerity and stamina, facing the opponents of peace and the instruments of terror and overcoming the bitter legacy of our history.

At the same time, while starting the complex composite dialogue process next month, India and Pakistan should continue to move forward on normalisation measures because the chances of settling the complex and contentious issues were higher if a friendly atmosphere prevailed."

He said the chances of resolving the most contentious issues are higher when they are tackled in a warm, friendly and supportive environment. "If India and Pakistan nurture the ties of kinship, commerce and culture, if we emphasise (on) all that we have in common, we will be able to smoothen the fault lines in our relationship."

Mr. Menon said the two countries should also be careful about generating too many expectations. "We begin a complex process where expectations must not run ahead of reality. We will not reach solutions overnight. What we can and should do is to stay engaged. India intends to."

Explaining the reasons for India's consistent attempts to improve relations with Pakistan, he said Mr. Vajpayee came to Lahore in February 1999 and sought to "resuscitate" the peace process in Agra in July 2001, and followed it up with the present initiative because "peace with Pakistan has been an abiding goal and is part of a broader Indian vision. India has a vision for our region, the world and ourselves."

He said Mr. Vajpayee's peace moves in April last year led to several confidence-building measures between the two countries, including the resumption of rail, road and air links and initiatives to run bus services between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad as well as Khokrapar and Munabao and a ferry service between Karachi and Mumbai.

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