The Hindu : National : A consistent policy towards Pakistan will be followed: Natwar Singh

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 14, 2004

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A consistent policy towards Pakistan will be followed: Natwar Singh

By Amit Baruah

NEW DELHI, MAY 13. The Congress will follow a "consistent policy" towards Pakistan and engage India's western neighbour on all subjects within the framework of the Shimla Agreement and subsequent declarations issued by the two countries.

Talking to The Hindu , the leading Congress expert on foreign affairs, Natwar Singh, said today that the rapprochement with Pakistan reflected a broad national consensus. "The Congress will ensure that this consensus is given [a] further fillip."

Asked about the scheduled talks with Pakistan here on nuclear confidence building measures on May 25-26, Mr. Singh said these issues would be looked at after the formation of the government."During the past five years, the Congress has always maintained and declared that the diplomatic door [with Pakistan] should not be shut," Mr. Singh told this correspondent adding that dialogue with Islamabad must continue. "There have been too many flip-flops with regard to Pakistan by the Vajpayee Government."

On relations with the United States, Mr. Singh said the Congress had always worked for "close and cordial" relations with Washington. "The Congress will further strengthen, widen and deepen these ties [with the U.S.] keeping in view our vital national interests." A Congress-led coalition government would correct the "distortions" that had appeared in regard to Iraq and Palestine. "The Congress has been proved right about not sending Indian troops to Iraq."

Mr. Singh said that events had now shown what the fate of the Indian troops would have been had they been sent to Iraq. Pointing to the unanimous resolution passed by Parliament on Iraq, he stressed that the Congress was committed to the resolution. Asked about the policy towards China, Mr. Singh said the process of improving Sino-Indian relations was started in a meaningful way by the former Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, during his path-breaking December 1988 visit to Beijing. The Congress attached the highest importance to relations with China and the party had expressed its views in Parliament in the last five years calling for a forward movement in Sino-Indian ties.

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