Momentum as Pak. team in Delhi

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, JULY 2. A two-member official team from Pakistan is in New Delhi to finalise the security and protocol arrangements for the visit of the Pakistani President, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, between July 14 to 16.

The team left for New Delhi even as the Pakistan Foreign Minister, Mr. Abdul Sattar, called on Gen. Musharraf and discussed a whole range of issues in the context of the coming summit. The meeting is significant for more than one reason. It was the first between the two after Gen. Musharraf promoted himself as President.

Mr. Sattar, who was in Washington on the day Gen. Musharraf took over as President, faced the wrath of the U.S. State Department for keeping it in the `dark' on the development back home. The Minister is presumed to have apprised Gen. Musharraf of his recent visit to the U.K., Canada and the U.S.

Mr. Sattar's visit to Washington was viewed with great interest as it was one of the first high-level contacts between Islamabad and the U.S. after the Bush administration took reins of power in January.

The Pakistani team consisting of Gen. Musharraf's Chief of Protocol, Brig. (retd.) Mian Khalid Habdid, and the President's security chief, Col. Mohammad Illyas, would be in Delhi for five days to exchange notes with their counterparts on the security and protocol arrangements.

Besides visiting the old house of Gen. Musharraf in Darya Ganj in New Delhi, the team is expected to travel to Agra and Ajmer Sharif. Gen. Musharraf is scheduled to be in New Delhi on the morning of July 14. After the ceremonial welcome on the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, he is expected to receive a number of visitors at his suite in Rashtrapati Bhavan where he would be staying.

The following day he would fly to Agra for the summit meet with the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee. On July 15, two lengthy meetings are expected between the two leaders. The possibility of another meeting on July 16 is not being ruled out.

It is still not clear whether the first meeting at Agra would be at the delegation level or a one-to-one meeting between the two leaders. ``The delegations on both sides could begin the meeting just to provide the photo opportunity for the media and than leave the two leaders for a one-to-one discussion'', a senior official engaged in finalising the programme said.

The Pakistani delegation now in Delhi is expected to give an idea to the Indian Government on the composition of the Musharraf delegation. Indications are that he would be accompanied by at least three Ministers. These could be Mr. Sattar, the Interior Minister, Lt. Gen. (retd.) Moinuddin Haider and the Commerce Minister, Mr. Abdul Razak Dawood .

At least five Secretary-level officers are likely to be part of the delegation. The possibility of Gen. Musharraf taking along a non-official delegation of eminent citizens from Pakistan is not being ruled out.

Diplomatic sources said the crucial issues of the summit agenda and whether or not both sides should come out with a joint statement at the end of the deliberations were still to be decided.

``As of now, the view is, it is better to make it an open-ended agenda and let it flow out of the one-to-one meeting between the two leaders. Any attempt to formulate a rigid agenda could prove counter-productive given the sensitivities on both sides on the contentious issue of Kashmir'', a senior official said.

It is also not clear whether there would be a joint statement or press conference at the end of the summit. ``The view is against either of them. But, it can lead to complications. So, at the end, both sides may settle for a joint press conference. Let both leaders state their position in presence of each other so that there is no confusion when the summit is over'', said the official.

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