People's Democracy

The 18th Party congress of the CPI(M) welcomes the peace process and the betterment of Indo-Pak relations. It hopes that this process will continue further and will lead not only to the settlement of the decades long conflict between India and Pakistan, but also to the reduction of the huge military expenditure which is draining the economy of both the countries. Peace and the consequent normalisation of trade between the two will also help in their economic growth.

Despite heavy odds, people to people contacts and visits by a large number of delegations have helped the peace process to continue. The enormous goodwill exhibited by people on both sides of the border to these people to people contacts shows the deep desire for peace in the region.

In November 2003 both India and Pakistan took steps to reduce tensions and normalise relations. The countries declared a ceasefire along the line of control, agreed to increase representation in the diplomatic missions of both countries and the resumption of travel links between the two. It was followed by the SAARC summit in January 2004, in which India and Pakistan agreed to start a composite dialogue on all outstanding issues including Kashmir. The Pakistan side on its part noted the necessity for reduction of violence in Kashmir. The 18th congress welcomes the resumption of the dialogue between the two countries as a positive development.

The wide response to Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service despite terrorist threats and attacks brings out that the people are not only in favour of peace, but are willing to risk their lives for it. In order to accelerate this process, more Confidence Building Measures (CBM’s) including some Kashmir specific ones are required.

The strategic importance of peace between India and Pakistan cannot be underestimated. This process will not only help in reducing the arms race in the sub-continent, and but will also act as a formidable check on the US imperialist interventions who have been fishing in the troubled waters of Indo-Pakistan relations which was clearly witnessed in the deal to offer F-16 and F-18 to Pakistan and India.

This 18th Congress of the CPI(M) pledges to continue its efforts along with the peace loving people of both the countries to strengthen this process further. The Congress demands:

• Expansion of visa facilities and travel permits for people to travel across the border and the LoC.

• Normalise trade relations between India and Pakistan

• Open more travel links between India and Pakistan and across the LoC

• Defuse the nuclear tensions between the two countries by not deploying nuclear weapons, as a first step towards de-nuclearisation

• Discuss other CBM’s including more Kashmir specific CBM’s

• Continue the composite dialogue for settling of all outstanding issues including Kashmir