NEW DELHI, 8 July — Describing the forthcoming Agra summit as a chance for both India and Pakistan to make healthy relations, a group of present and former members of parliament yesterday written a letter to the Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf, urging them to see that the summit must not fail.
With the summit date approaching, increasing importance is being given to prospects of its success. Home Minister L.K. Advani also said, “India and Pakistan should pursue a policy of cooperation rather than confrontation.” He said both the countries will benefit from this.
The parliamentarians have formed a group — Parliamentarians for South Asian Regional Cooperation. Renowned Gandhian, Nirmala Deshpande and senior Congress party leader Eduardo Feliero are co-convenors of the group.
“Agra summit is a big event. It is indicative of the fact that the peace process between the two neighboring countries has started and should continue forward at all costs,” said Deshpande. She said that it is only logical that the summit should be followed by people to people contact. Deshpande had been working in this direction for the past few years and two groups named Association of People of Asia and Indo-Pak Initiative for Peace had been functional, though without much success.
Former External Affairs Minister Eduardo Feleiro said, “It is a multiparty initiative. He said this is the only region where there is no effective cooperation between the respective governments and the people.
“In the context of globalization and liberalization of economy, it is very important that the two neighbors who have similar social and cultural traditions must reduce tension across the border,” added Feliero. The MPs’ letter focuses on the peace and stresses the need to establish the necessary mechanism.
The group urges the two leaders for gradual mutual reduction in defense expenditure, which after all is spent on defense preparedness to take on the aggression of the other neighboring country.
An agreement to reduce tension across the border would put a limit to this “necessity” and an early solution to the contentions issue of Kashmir would have to be found. Immediate removal of trade and travel restrictions would give a boost to the economy of two countries. Besides a mutually beneficial relationship for the business community of the two countries, it would help in earning a substantial amount of revenue to the respective governments.
However, there is a mixed reaction to the summit and its prospects across the political platform. With the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stalwart, Vajpayee credited for taking the crucial diplomatic initiative for the summit, the party is naturally hoping for its success. According to the BJP president, J. Krishnamurthi, the “positive atmosphere” in both India and Pakistan should give a “new direction” to future relationships between the two countries. He said the “past differences” should not cast a shadow on their future ties.
The Congress party welcomed the summit, though it is critical of the governments “tardy preparations” for it. The Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma said, “While Gen. Musharraf has held wide ranging consultations, we are yet to get started.”
The Left Front is not too optimistic about the outcome of the summit. Prakash Karat, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) politburo member said, that the party does not have “great expectations” especially on the Kashmir front.
