EDITORIAL

India-Pakistan Talks: Some Progress

THE foreign ministers of India and Pakistan have concluded their two-day meeting at Islamabad to review the second round of the Composite Dialogue between the two countries.  The joint  statement issued indicates the resolve of both sides to carry forward the talks on the subjects which are part of the Composite Dialogue.

Progress has been registered in developing transport links, exchange of prisoners and people-to-people contacts.  The Lahore-Amritsar bus service is scheduled to begin in November, 2005.  Talks by experts are to be held for starting the Nankana Sahib-Amritsar bus service.  Building on the Srinagar-Muzafarabad bus service, talks are to be held to start the truck service on this route. The September 12 exchange of prisoners marked the decision to provide for notification of arrest by either side and consular access to all persons within three months of arrest and release of prisoners on completion of their sentence.  The revival of the Joint Commission of Pakistan and India is another step which will help develop relations. A meeting was held after 16 years.  The commission will deal with economic relations, tourism and other subjects not carried in the Composite Dialogue. 

It is noteworthy that the meeting took up the  demilitarisation of the Siachen and the Sir Creek issue.  The decision to undertake a joint survey of the Sir Creek and to consider options for the delimitation of the maritime boundary is a step forward. The most important issue at the present juncture is the withdrawal of troops from Siachen. The joint statement says that while exchanging ideas on the Siachen issue, they agreed to continue the discussions to arrive at a common understanding before the next round of the Composite Dialogue in January, 2006.  There is not much progress because of the disagreements on the demarcation of areas under the control of both sides and other issues. Among the confidence building measures, the demilitarisation of Siachen is the crucial one which should be taken up seriously by the government of India.  Sincere efforts to overcome the differences and ensure the withdrawal of troops on both sides will be a signal that mutual confidence and trust has been established.

The forthcoming discussions on Jammu & Kashmir have to be set in the framework of the statements made by president Musharraf and prime minister Manmohan Singh who have expressed the necessity for both sides to be flexible.  In this connection, the UPA government has  to pursue  the dialogue with all the political parties and groups within Jammu & Kashmir.  A beginning has been made with the first round of talks with the Hurriyat and this has to be broadened by including other parties and groups particularly those parties who are represented in the Jammu & Kashmir assembly. Taking into account president Musharraf’s statement acknowledging the Indian stand that a redefining of boundaries is not acceptable and that Pakistan will not stick to its plebiscite demand, the political framework for discussing the Jammu & Kashmir situation has emerged. The Pakistani government can help in this process, if they take effective measures to prevent armed militants crossing the LoC and maintaining their bases across the border. 

The reiteration by both the ministers of their commitment to the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project is welcome. But the recent actions of the UPA government vis-à-vis Iran have raised doubts whether it will sincerely pursue this project which is in the interest of both countries.