Let's walk the high road to peace: Vajpayee

By C. Raja Mohan

NEW DELHI, MAY 25. Putting aside the bitterness of Pakistan's military aggression in Kargil two years ago, the Prime Minister Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, today signalled India's readiness to roll out the red carpet for the chief executive of Pakistan, Gen. Pervez Musharraf.

In a formal invitation delivered in Islamabad today, Mr. Vajpayee invited Gen. Musharraf to visit India, ``pick up the threads'' of the stalled bilateral dialogue, and walk the ``high road'' to peace and prosperity in the subcontinent.

The decks are now clear for a summit meeting between the two leaders here in the next few weeks. Gen. Musharraf, according to informed sources, is likely to arrive here any time between the last week of June and the third week of July.

As preparations begin for the visit, a strong sense of ``deja vu'' hangs over the South Block here. For many officials, the hopes at Lahore and the betrayal at Kargil are too recent to be forgotten.

While officialdom is sceptical of Gen. Musharraf's intentions, the enthusiasm for a renewed engagement with Pakistan comes from the political level. The principal source of energy for the revival of the stalled dialogue is Mr. Vajpayee, convinced that he can make a difference to the troubled relationship with Islamabad.

Despite the verbal venom spewed out by the Pakistan Foreign Office yesterday on India's policies in Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. Vajpayee today adopted a dignified tone in inviting Gen. Musharraf to New Delhi.

Looking beyond the immediate squabbling on a whole range of issues between the two nations, Mr. Vajpayee declared that ``our common enemy is poverty''. ``For the welfare of our peoples'', he added, ``there is no other course'' but pursuing ``the path of reconciliation'', ``engaging in productive dialogue'', and ``building trust and confidence''.

Mr. Vajpayee recalled the trip he made to Lahore in February 1999 ``with the objective of beginning a new chapter in our bilateral relations''. He reminded Gen. Musharraf of his statement in Lahore that ``a stable, secure and prosperous Pakistan is in India's interest''. ``That remains our conviction,'' he reiterated today, suggesting that India had truly put behind the tragic memories of the Kargil aggression.

On the substance of the proposed summit, Mr. Vajpayee told Gen. Musharraf: ``We have to pick up the threads again, including renewing the Composite Dialogue, so that we can put in place a stable structure of cooperation and address all outstanding issues, including Jammu and Kashmir.''

There will be some speculation in both the capitals whether the Indian reference to the ``Composite Dialogue'' with a capital ``C'' and a capital ``D'' falls short of Pakistan's demand for special emphasis on Jammu and Kashmir in the revived talks.

In stressing the Composite Dialogue that involves all the outstanding issues in bilateral relations, India is saying it has no intention of changing the framework of the dialogue negotiated by the two nations after considerable diplomatic labour during 1997-98.

Despite quibbling from some quarters in Pakistan, Gen. Musharraf is unlikely to make much of this in responding to Mr. Vajpayee's invitation. For him the dialogue with Mr. Vajpayee is at the political level between the two states.

The General would not want to condition his visit to New Delhi on any particular set of demands. In all likelihood he will reserve the right to squabble over the negotiating format and the shape of the table for another day.

His demands for a special focus on Kashmir and for involving the representatives of the Kashmiris might come up in his talks with Mr. Vajpayee here. For now, the diplomatic focus is on getting the General across to the Indian capital.

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