NEW DELHI , 27 June 2004 — Pakistan’s foreign secretary arrived here yesterday for talks to ease tension over Kashmir and other disputes between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
Riaz Khokhar was set for discussions today and tomorrow with his Indian counterpart, Shashank.
“I bring greetings and good wishes from the government and people of Pakistan. We are going to kick-start the composite dialogue. We have very important business to do,” Khokhar told reporters on arrival.
“We certainly will approach these talks with great sincerity and seriousness,” he said, adding that talks would be on “the fundamental issue of Jammu and Kashmir and several other matters.”
Khokhar arrived hours after suspected Pakistan-based gunmen killed 12 sleeping Muslims and wounded eight in the Surankot region of the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir. The attack could not have come at a worse time for Pakistan and New Delhi is sure to raise the issue of terrorism from across the border during the talks.
India will point out that though infiltration from Pakistan has dropped significantly, the terrorist infrastructure — including training camps —remain intact, diplomatic sources said.
India may also draw Pakistan’s attention to situation in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
Despite the talks being a overshadowed by the Surankot killings, the first day will be devoted to reviewing progress made in the bilateral process so far and the issue of peace and security. The two foreign secretaries will deal exclusively with Jammu and Kashmir on the second day, the sources said.
Confidence-building measures likely to be discussed include increase in diplomatic mission strengths to 110; exploring reopening of consulates at Karachi and Bombay; and humanitarian gestures regarding exchange of prisoners, missing defense personnel and fishermen.
Through these confidence-building measures, India will aim to give an impetus to the composite dialogue process, government sources said.
With each side determined to stick to its position, Kashmir will be a hard nut to crack. each is likely to try and convince the other side of its stand. But the two sides may decide to resume technical level talks on a Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service, the diplomatic sources said.
Pakistan is expected to suggest troop reduction on the Line of Control that divides the Himalayan region and involvement of Kashmiri leaders in talks. Pakistan will also demand a plebiscite in the valley as laid down under 1947 UN resolutions.
Pakistani officials said Islamabad would cite cases of human rights violations by Indian security forces and call for “abrogation of draconian laws”.
On the sidelines of the talks, the Pakistan delegation will hold meetings with the Abbas Ansari and Sayeed Geelani factions of the Hurriyat Conference.
At the talks, Shashank will be assisted by Foreign Secretary-designate Shyam Saran, Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Sivshankar Menon, Arun K. Singh, joint secretary (Pakistan) in the External Affairs Ministry, and other top officials.
Khokhar’s delegation includes Pakistani High Commissioner to India Aziz Ahmed Khan, Jaleel Abbas Jilani, director general of the South Asia Division in the Foreign Ministry, and Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesman Masood Khan.
The United States has welcomed the ongoing peace process. “We are seeing now a regular pattern of engagement, dialogue and reciprocal steps of confidence-building measures between the two countries that not so long ago were at the point of confrontation,” US State Department spokesman J. Adam Ereli told reporters in Washington.
Now, “through wise and forward-looking leadership,” India and Pakistan have “taken steps to meet the concerns of each other and find ways to develop systems and procedures that normalize relations and this is welcome.” he said.
