Kashmir not the only subject: Opposition, Govt. agree

By Neena Vyas

NEW DELHI, JULY 9. Political parties across the board have put their weight behind the Government stand that while India will not shy away from discussing the Kashmir issue, it cannot be the only subject of the coming talks between the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, and the Pakistan President, Gen. Pervez Musharraf.

The unanimous view was that issues related to trade and commerce, easier communication and travel between the peoples of the two countries, the question of release of prisoners-of-war (PoWs) and, above all, the problem of cross-border terrorism and the nuclear question must be addressed at the summit.

What emerged at the all-party meeting called by Mr. Vajpayee here today was a consensus that the talks must be held within the framework of the Constitution, the Shimla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration in the spirit of improving relations with a neighbouring country through bilateral discussions.

Mr. Vajpayee emphasised that despite the ``low-point'' of ``virtually non-existent'' bilateral relations after the Kargil war, he had invited Gen. Musharraf ``in keeping with our consistent commitment'' to ``a positive and constructive relationship of peace and friendship with our neighbour''. He noted that after the 1965 and 1971 wars also attempts were made to establish peace.

At Agra, India would not shy away from discussing the Kashmir issue, but ``narrow and cliche-ridden approaches have not worked in the past, nor has violence'', Mr. Vajpayee noted, clearly but indirectly referring to Gen. Musharraf's insistence on Kashmir as the ``core issue''. The two countries will have ``to seek another way'' to take forward the bilateral relationship to address ``the core concerns of our people in their struggle against poverty''.

The Prime Minister said the Kashmir issue was ``tied to the question of India's territorial integrity'' and ``it cannot be resolved on the basis of religion for India had never accepted Partition on that basis''.

Foreign policy

The tone of the meeting was perhaps set when Mr. Vajpayee pointed out that on foreign policy issues the country was one, and when the Leader of the Opposition, Ms. Sonia Gandhi, had responded to issues during her recent visit to the United States she spoke for the country, not just the Congress. At the meeting, Ms. Gandhi stressed that the summit was not a partisan issue. The Congress had always favoured a dialogue with Pakistan to resolve all outstanding issues. Pointing out that the talks should not be confined to the Kashmir issue, she wished Mr. Vajpayee all success.

The three-hour meeting, attended by 37 party leaders, including three Ministers (Mr. L.K. Advani, Mr. Jaswant Singh and Mr. Pramod Mahajan), addressed the concerns of political parties over the summit. To questions, Mr. Jaswant Singh, External Affairs Minister, categorically stated that it was a ``bilateral summit'' and there was ``no room for a third party''. He emphasised ``the U.S. had no role to play in Agra, either directly or indirectly''.

Mr. Singh told the Opposition leaders that the Government would raise the question of ``confidence-building relations in relation to the nuclear issue''. The proposal of a ``no-war pact'' made by Pakistan ``cannot be meaningful unless it covers cross-border terrorism, the proxy war in Kashmir and the activities of terrorists''. If Pakistan were to demand the reduction of armed security forces in Jammu and Kashmir, India's response would be that ``it was the sovereign function of a government'' to decide where to send its security forces. On the return of PoWs, a question raised by some party leaders, he said the Lahore Declaration had started a process which the Government would like to ``revive'' at Agra.

A note of caution

A word of caution came from the Rashtriya Janata Dal which warned against ``too much euphoria'', reminding that the Kargil conflict had followed the Lahore Declaration. The Government must not lower its guard on the borders. The CPI(M) wanted the nuclear issue to be taken up seriously to ``avert any nuclear confrontation''.

Briefing reporters later, Mr. Mahajan, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, said the ``national consensus'' evolved at the meeting had no doubt strengthened the hands of the Prime Minister, who would now go to the summit backed by the good wishes of all parties. Mr. Vajpayee noted that the meeting had once again demonstrated the ``strong national consensus'' on foreign policy issues.

While no one was sure of its success, the general view was that it was a good beginning. They hoped it would be result- oriented, but at least it should help set up a mechanism to take the dialogue further.

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