Saturday, Oct 12, 2002
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By Sridhar Krishnaswami
"President Musharraf has repeatedly committed to ending permanently support for infiltration from his country. Pakistan needs to hold to this pledge in order to begin resolving the immediate crisis and to remove more fundamental differences with India. We look to Islamabad to follow through on this commitment in a concerted and proactive manner'', Ms. Rocca remarked. In prepared remarks at the American Enterprise Institute, she said the ongoing conflict between the two South Asian nations "not only risks dangerous escalation, it also limits the ability of both countries to seize opportunities to better the lives of their own people." India and Pakistan might have barely averted a war, but the threat had not disappeared. "We remain deeply concerned about the continued deployment of forces along their shared border and Line of Control, repeated terrorist incidents and the lack of communication between the two hostile neighbours," she said. As the deescalation process began, Washington would look for specific steps aimed at addressing the problems in Kashmir. Welcoming the successful conclusion of the election in Kashmir, Ms. Rocca condemned the violence during the polls and commended the courage of those who participated inspite of violence and intimidation. The Kashmir people had shown that they wished to follow the path of peace. It was now time for India and Pakistan "to do their part to resume diplomatic dialogue at the earliest possible opportunity. This dialogue will have to address all the issues that divide them, including Kashmir." The U.S., Ms Rocca said, "envisions a solution to the conflict that is peaceful and honourable for all sides, allowing Kashmiris, who have suffered the most, to live their daily lives in security, dignity and prosperity". Only a productive and sustained dialogue between India and Pakistan would prevent future crises and finally bring peace to the region. "The international community cannot afford to sit back and wait for the next crisis to erupt. The stakes are too high. And that is why we are committed to staying engaged... helping both parties resolve their differences", she said. Earlier in her address, Ms. Rocca talked of the U.S. perception of India "as a major emerging democratic power in the world'' and the kind of strides that had been made in the realm of bilateral relations, including in the recent launch of a regional dialogue that made it transparent to India, the multi-varied activities of the U.S. in the region. She spoke of the implications of an expanding relationship in a number of areas such as counter-terrorism, defence cooperation or initiatives in business and commerce. "It is a mark of the maturity of our partnership that we can now engage on other contentious issues rather than let our relationship be defined by them. On non-proliferation, for example, we have an active exchange of views with the Indians". With respect to Pakistan, Ms. Rocca maintained that a positive development contributing to the overall stability in the region had been the "deepening" relationship between the United States and Pakistan. But the restoration of democracy and civilian rule within a constitutional framework was crucial to the long-term stability of Pakistan. The holding of the elections apart, the next "crucial step" would be the transfer of power to the National Assembly and provincial assemblies. "We will continue to watch this process closely".
`Critical factor'
The State Department spokesman, Richard Boucher, meanwhile said the successful completion of elections in Jammu and Kashmir showed the people there want to pursue the path of peace. He also applauded the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee's personal commitment to making the elections transparent and open. "Prime Minister Vajpayee's personal commitment to making them (elections) transparent and open was a critical factor that helped to take the process forward. We hope that this will be the first step in a broader process that will bring peace to the region." Mr. Boucher applauded the efforts of the Election Commission and commended the courage of the candidates and voters, who participated in the polls in spite of violence and intimidation. The administration also condemned the terrorist attacks aimed at disrupting the polls and the intimidation of people and welcomed the assurances that reports of irregularities, including alleged coercion of security forces, would be fully investigated by the authorities. "It is important that these assurances are followed through", Mr. Boucher said. "A lasting settlement, which also reflects the needs of the Kashmiri people, can only be achieved through dialogue. We welcome the Indian Government's commitment to begin a dialogue with the people of Jammu and Kashmir and we hope this dialogue will address improvements in governance and human rights. The United States and the international community will continue to make every effort to help India and Pakistan resolve their differences'', Mr. Boucher said.
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