Pak. hopes Bush will reverse pro-India tilt

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, JAN. 21. As Mr. George Bush settles into the chair of the President of the United States, the military government in Pakistan earnestly hopes that the pronounced pro-India tilt of the U.S., witnessed particularly during the second tenure of Mr. Bill Clinton, would be a thing of the past.

The optimism of the Musharraf Government of a turnaround in Pakistan-U.S. ties is based on the assumption that traditionally Republicans have been more favourable to Pakistan than the Democrats. Pakistan has had the best of relations with the U.S. with a Republican at the helm of affairs.

The desire on the part of Pakistan to turn a new chapter in its relations with the U.S. is evident in the traditional congratulatory message sent by the Chief Executive, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, to Mr. Bush on his assumption of office. ``It is my earnest hope that our bilateral relations, based on common interest and shared values, will enter a new phase of closer interests and shared cooperation during your Presidency.

``Over the past half-century, Pakistan-U.S. relations have contributed positively to regional and international peace and stability. We look forward together with you to consolidate this long-standing relationship,'' Gen. Musharraf said. The military regime believes that unlike the Democrats, as was evident during the Clinton era, the Republicans would not be ``obsessed'' with issues such as human rights and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).

However those outside the Pakistani establishment are not prepared to share the optimism. They are of the view that the U.S. foreign policy is a continuous process and it made little difference as to who was in charge of the White House.

Dr. Khalid Mahmud, scholar with the Institute of Regional Studies, told The Hindu that the American election was fought entirely on a domestic agenda and there was no major difference between the Democrats and the Republicans on foreign policy issues.

However, he argued that the attitude of the Bush administration towards China would be a crucial factor in defining its relations with Pakistan.

``It should be noted that in the course of the election campaign, Mr. Bush was critical of the emerging U.S.-China relationship. Of course, the Clinton administration also began on the same note but the compulsions of the situation forced them to mover closer to China. We have to wait and watch to see as to what would be the China policy of the Bush administration,'' he said.

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