Round The World
New
Delhi, 3 October 2012
Kashmir Tangle
INDIA-PAKISTAN SPAR AT UN
By Monish Tourangbam
Associate Fellow, Observer Research
Foundation (New Delhi)
The perennial India-Pakistan tangle
over contentious Kashmir issue gained currency
at the 67th session of the United Nations General Assembly thanks to
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari yet again. Asserted he, “We will continue
to support the right of the people of J&K to peacefully choose their
destiny in accordance with the UN Security Council’s long resolutions on this
matter. Kashmir remains a symbol of the
failures, rather than strengths of the UN system.”
Predictably, this was strongly rebutted
by Foreign Minister Krishna who countered, Zardari’s remarks were “unwarranted
and unexpected. Our principled position on the issue has been consistent and is
well known. The people of J&K have chosen and reaffirmed their destiny
repeatedly through India's
well established democratic processes. We wish to make it abundantly clear that
J&K is an integral part of India,”
he robustly emphasized.
Undeniably, this verbal jostling at
the UN amidst efforts towards diplomatic rapprochement underscores the distrust
and uncertainty which defines Indo-Pak ties. Notwithstanding New Delhi and
Islamabad’s latest intent to explore an area to set ground conditions for adding more
comprehensive content to their talks. Specially
post Krishna’s Islamabad
visit which despite low expectations did manage to engineer a liberalised visa agreement.
But, it is easily discernible that
an effective diplomatic meeting of minds is an uphill task given innumerable issues
that plague ties including territorial contentions and divergent security perceptions.
Pakistani leaders often try to rally international support against India at the UN and lose no chance to rake up Kashmir to earn brownie points. In fact, pro and anti
Kashmir arguments continue even beyond the UN podium with Islamabad refusing to let the issue subside
easily. Pakistani officials openly seek to highlight that J&K is a disputed
territory.
Besides, Islamabad
has also sought third parties entry to resolve the Kashmir
question to tilt the balance in its favour. Towards that end it often tries to
amplify the issue at various international forums including UN. On the other
hand, India
believes that all matters between the neighbours should be resolved
bilaterally, a view to which erstwhile meddlers like US now subscribes to.
Pertinently, negating Foreign
Minister Krishna’s rebuff of President Zardari’s comments, Pakistan’s Deputy
Permanent Representative Raza Tarar in his Right of Reply argued that Zardari raking up Kashmir
was “not unwarranted” as claimed by India. “Let me also
make absolutely clear that J&K is neither an integral part of India nor has
it ever been,” Ambassador Tarar underlined.
Indeed,
following a mild thaw of ties, Krishna reiterated that New
Delhi was not expecting Kashmir
being raked up again at the UN. “I did not expect that President Zardari
would make a reference to Kashmir and once a reference from Pakistan at the highest level in the UN is made,
then it is certainly the responsibility of India to state its stated position.”
Moreover, the
Foreign Minister also stressed that he was merely restating India’s long held position on Kashmir
as a response to what Zardari said. Besides, it was unfortunate that the
Pakistani President ignited a needless tit-for-tat over Kashmir especially at a
time when both sides are trying to find some leeway to reassesses bilateral
issues and turn-around troubled relations which has seriously scuttled effective
intra-regional development in South Asia.
But, when asked if
the UN diplomatic wrestling over Kashmir would hamper newly re-energized
efforts to normalize ties, Krishna replied “We will continue our dialogue with Pakistan, the
road map has been drawn and we will try to stick to it and let us see how it
goes.”
Undoubtedly, terrorism
remains the major nemesis to any real efforts towards rapprochement, which is a
pity as Pakistan
faces an existential threat from Islamic militants. Whereby, it continues to
dilly-dally in helping give justice to hundreds who died in the 26/11 attacks.
Importantly, it is time
Pakistan starts looking at
economic content and sees the benefits that would accrue to it vis-à-vis establishing a more
sustainable and vibrant economic relationship with India. For New
Delhi, bringing the Mumbai perpetrators to book is a vital component
of ties whereby there could be no better confidence building measure than Islamabad finally moving on
it.
Towards that end, India has decided to be more patient when it
comes to dealing with Pakistan
on 26/11 thereby indicating a desire to bet on the prospects of normalising ties.
“The international
community must adopt a 'zero tolerance' approach towards terrorism and focus on
efforts to dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism including its invidious
network of epicenters, training facilities and financing,” said Krishna.
Also, while
reiterating India’s unwavering
commitment to Afghanistan’s stable
future, Krishna indirectly targeted Pakistan’s
safe havens of terrorism averring, “The continuing existence of safe havens and sanctuaries for
terrorists beyond Afghanistan's
borders is the major impediment to the restoration of peace and security in Afghanistan.”
Clearly, India-Pakistan ties and many
other contentious issues woven into this most-troubled of relationships fabric
determines a lot of what New Delhi does in South Asia. Given that India
has newly acquired the status of a global player in various issues and its
trajectory is at a different pedestal from that of Pakistan. Amply proved by Krishna’s at the UN.
In sum, India’s foreign policy priorities
extend well beyond its immediate region. As it stands, it views itself as a
deserving candidate for a permanent seat of an expanded UN Security Council,
whenever that happens. Indisputably, New Delhi’s
response to global challenges besides the ones in its immediate backyard would
determine the future of India’s
status at the UN and in the world at large. ---- INFA
(Copyright,
India News and Feature Alliance)
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