The Hindu : International / India & World : Fences don't matter ultimately: Khokhar

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jun 29, 2004

International

International - India & World

Fences don't matter ultimately: Khokhar

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, JUNE 28. In a demonstration of rare flexibility vis-à-vis India, the Pakistan Foreign Secretary, Riaz H. Khokhar, said here tonight that `fences' did not matter ultimately and he found enough evidence of Indian sincerity for talks in a sustained manner towards a final settlement of Jammu and Kashmir.

Minutes after his arrival from his two-day trip from India, an upbeat but cautious Mr. Khokhar surprised journalists when he said that fences did not matter ultimately. He was responding to a pointed question whether the Pakistani delegation raised the issue of fencing along the Line of Control (LoC) by India and New Delhi's response.

Mr. Khokhar said the issue was raised at the talks. ``In our judgment, fencing is illegal. India has its own viewpoint,'' he said prompting a journalist to ask the Indian response. His remark did not go unnoticed as Mr. Khokhar is considered a hardliner on India and, in recent months, had raised the fencing issue in a big way.

Twice in the course of his 30-minute interaction with journalists, Mr. Khokhar sounded a note of caution on any hype or expectations on the peace process. ``This is the beginning of the process. All I would say is it is a good beginning. Tomorrow, I would report to the President, Pervez Musharraf on the talks.'' He would pass on the message of `goodwill' to Gen. Musharraf from the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh. In the next few weeks, India and Pakistan would have more opportunities for interaction at several forums. To begin with he would meet his Indian counterpart at Jakarta this week at the Asian Regional Forum. There would be another chance for interaction at the level of Foreign Ministers and Secretaries when SAARC Ministers meet here on July 20 and 21. A bilateral meeting between the Foreign Ministers is on the cards in August. Mr. Khokhar said that he met the All Parties Hurriyat Conference leaders in Delhi. ``I am better educated about their interests and concerns on resolution of Kashmir. Pakistan has always maintained that there are three parties to the dispute and Kashmiris are an important party.'' Asked about the specific reference to the Shimla Agreement in the joint press statement, Mr. Khokhar while it was an important agreement between India and Pakistan, relations between the two countries were guided by several other countries. He argued that India and Pakistan had ties since 1947 and Shimla came into existence in 1972. ``We have taken into account a number of agreements. Shimla is an important agreement. So is January 6 and today's joint press statement in New Delhi,'' he said.

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