Summit in Agra: Musharraf coming on July 14

By C Raja Mohan

NEW DELHI, JUNE 19. Even as it announced a very generous welcome to the Chief Executive of Pakistan, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, India today reaffirmed the determination to defend its traditional position on Jammu and Kashmir.

The lavish and traditional hospitality to Gen. Musharraf, when he arrives here July 14 on a three-day visit, will include a ceremonial reception with full state honours due to a head of government.

Gen. Musharraf and the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, will then retreat to the historic setting of the old Moghul city Agra, where they will hold a substantive consultation on all issues, including Jammu and Kashmir.

Gen. Musharraf, accompanied by his wife, will travel to Ajmer Sharif in Rajasthan that is revered by both Hindus and Muslims in the sub-continent. He will head home to Pakistan on July 16.

The dates and the broad itinerary of Gen. Musharraf's visit were announced this evening by the spokesperson of the External Affairs Ministry.

While deciding to roll out the red carpet to Gen. Musharraf, Mr. Vajpayee has sought to dispel the misperceptions in Pakistan that India is tired of its decade-long war against terrorism in Kashmir, sponsored by Islamabad.

Mr. Vajpayee's assertion from Mumbai that Kashmir is an ``integral part of India'' is being seen here as a signal to Gen. Musharraf that he cannot unilaterally set the agenda for the impending bilateral talks in Agra.

Terrorism

Responding to Pakistan's claims that the focus of the dialogue will be on Kashmir, India today declared that a reduction of the level of cross-border terrorism holds the key to progress in the peace talks.

Well-placed sources familiar with the preparations for Gen. Musharraf's visit insist that ``unless there is a clear movement towards reduction of cross-border terrorism in Kashmir, there can be no real progress in India-Pakistan relations''.

As Gen. Musharraf concentrates his pre-summit diplomatic energy on getting an Indian acknowledgement of the ``centrality'' of the dispute over Jammu and Kashmir, India is highlighting its own base line for the talks - a de-escalation of cross-border violence.

The simple story of Gen. Musharraf's visit to India and his talks with Mr. Vajpayee will be about finding a way to address each other's core political preoccupations and move forward.

Cautioning against expecting too much from the meeting, the sources stress the importance of ``patience and realism'' in engaging Pakistan. But they are not ruling out ``the small chance of a breakthrough or a marginal change in perspective''.

In response to India's concerns on cross-border terrorism, Pakistan has often suggested that reduction in violence can only follow a progress in the talks between the two nations. Islamabad, indeed defines the ``progress'' in terms of Indian movement on the dispute over Jammu and Kashmir.

India is fully aware that Pakistan wants to use terrorism as a leverage and ``keep moving the goal posts'' for the reduction of violence and hope to draw India down the slippery slope of concessions on Kashmir.

Indian sources affirm that the question of cross-border terrorism ``cannot be fudged'' at the summit and credible commitments from Pakistan to reduce its level would be critical for the success of Gen. Musharraf's visit.

Gen. Musharraf's overall political control over Pakistan has improved in recent months, it is assessed here. In marginalising the major political parties, the Army has tightened its grip over Pakistan and the assumption is that Gen. Musharraf is here to stay, at least for a while.

Gen. Musharraf, who in the past has backed off from confronting the jehadi forces, is showing the inclination to take them on. The assessment here is that Gen. Musharraf has the ``capability'' to deliver on a reduction of terrorism. The question now is one of ``intention''.

Sources say India is ready to engage Pakistan in ``a substantive way'' on Kashmir; but they insist Gen. Musharraf cannot hope ``to get a sea-change'' in the Indian position at the first meeting between the two leaders.

The two leaders, however, will have a lot of time for face-to- face talks without the constraining presence of bureaucrats. The ``unstructured talks'' between Mr. Vajpayee and Gen. Musharraf may provide a ``clean slate'' on which to draw the contours of a political understanding.

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