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Carrying `some ideas' to New Delhi: Powell
By B. Muralidhar Reddy
ISLAMABAD, JAN. 16. The Unites States Secretary of State, Colin Powell, today characterised the January 12 speech of the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, and the subsequent actions by his Government as ``historic and de-escalatory'' and said he would carry ``some concrete ideas'' to New Delhi to defuse the current tension between India and Pakistan.
Addressing a news conference along with the Pakistan Foreign Minister, Abdul Sattar, after talks with Gen. Musharraf, Gen. Powell gave enough hints that he would expect New Delhi to roll back some of the diplomatic sanctions in the wake of the recent developments.
Appreciating Pakistan's readiness for a dialogue, Gen. Powell made a strong plea to India to move towards a diplomatic and political dialogue with Islamabad. He was all praise for Gen. Musharraf for the ``bold and courageous'' steps he had unveiled and actions initiated to confront terrorism and transform Pakistan into a ``modern and progressive Islamic'' state.
He said the world could not afford a conflict in the region and made it a point to note that the Indian reaction to the steps taken by Gen. Musharraf was ``measured'' and said regional issues could best be resolved through dialogue.
He extended an invitation on behalf of the U.S. President, George W. Bush, to visit Washington and said both sides would work out the schedule for the official visit. In response to a question on the current visit of the Indian Defence Minister, George Fernandes, to the U.S. and the apprehensions in Pakistan about its likely adverse impact on the military front, Gen. Powell said Washington would do nothing to ``destabilise the region''. He repeatedly maintained that Washington valued its relationship with Islamabad and wanted both India and Pakistan to grow and be strong. On Kashmir, he said it was a very difficult issue and a solution to the problem could flow only through dialogue between India and Pakistan. Further moves to de-escalate the situation could follow after he briefed the Indian leaders about Gen. Musharraf's plans to implement his anti-terrorism agenda.
Gen. Powell, who arrived here on the first leg of his South Asian tour, had extensive talks on Indo-Pak. tension and bilateral ties between Pakistan and the U.S. with Gen. Musharraf and the team led by Mr. Sattar. ``My presence here shows the importance President Bush attaches to this issue and desire to find a peaceful solution. We really cannot have a war. We have to find a way to work through the crisis'', he said.
Gen. Powell said he considered Gen. Musharraf's actions to arrest the militants also de-escalatory. ``He (Gen. Musharraf) has done a great deal. We want to find ways to de-escalate militarily. De-escalate some of the political and diplomatic steps taken in the recent times, such as over flights, restrictions and traffic back and forth across the borders and hopefully, we are moving across in the direction now. We will be patient'', he added.
``I hope as a result of my visit we keep the process moving forward to solution to the current crisis between India and Pakistan. I am encouraged by Gen. Musharraf's speech asking Pakistanis to stop terrorism and fundamentalism'', he said.
Mr. Sattar, in his introductory comments, referred to Gen. Powell as an `interlocutor' and said there was no room for violence irrespective of the cause involved. ``A just cause does not become noble by killing innocent people'', he said in clear reference to the jehadi groups engaged in Kashmir. At the same time, he said the root cause of tension between India and Pakistan needs to be addressed and the U.S. was blessed to help in the process.
Gen. Powell, after overnight discussions with Gen. Musharraf, is scheduled to travel to India tomorrow. Soon after his arrival here, he was given a detailed brief by Mr.
Sattar on the steps being taken by his Government to crack down on the militants and the permanent steps initiated to curb terrorism.
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