SURAJKUND: The AICC at its two day session, which concluded here March 28, accused Pakistan of its continuing and expanding involvement in terrorism in India.

Appreciating the stand of the Indian Government of resolving disputes between the two countries through a dialogue in terms of the Shimla accord, the AICC Observed it was doubtful of any result because of Pakistan’s involvement in India.

In the resolution on international affairs, the AICC expressed the belief that the people of Pakistan sincerely desires friendly relations with the Indian people with whom they shared much of the history and culture of this subcontinent. However, the rulers of Pakistan had given a totally negative response and relations between the two countries had worsened because of Pak sponsored unit in Punjab, Kashmir and other areas, converting Pakistan into a state engaged and involved in international terrorism.

The AICC welcomed the progress recorded in India’s bilateral relations with the USA. The AICC, though its resolution, conveyed its greetings to President Bill Clinton, and hoped that the coming years would witness a quantum jump in the economic, commercial, cultural, scientific and technological ties between the two countries and a great understanding as well as closer corporation in the international affair.

The resolution has welcomed the Russian Federation’s reaffirmation of identity of views with India on many international issues, including those relating to cross borer activity impinging on India’s unity and integrity. The recent visit of President Boris Yeltsin had re stored the traditionally close, time tested ties between Moscow and New Delhi.

On the improvement of Sino Indian relations during the late Rajiv Gandhi’s visit to Beijing in 1988 and later reinforced by the visit by Chinese Premier Li Peng to India, to AICC referred to the manifestation on the improvement at both official and nonofficial levels. It expressed the confidence that this process would pave the way for a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution the longstanding border question.

The resolution appreciated the positive results of the bilateral visit of Japan and Nepal. Asia must take advantage of the emergence of Japan as one of the most decisive players in the global economy.

Foreign Affairs

The AICC reaffirmed the importance of regional cooperation in South Asia, through SAARC, in accordance with its charter. The AICC urged a return to peace, tranquility and prosperity in Afghanistan, with the cooperation of all its people. It once again ex pressed concern over the continuing incarceration of Aung San and her associates who had secured the peoples mandate in Myanmar.

The AICC regretted the rigid attitude of the Israeli Government that had stalled the progress of the peace process in West Asia, and urged Israel to meet the world expectations. The resolution sought to reaffirm the solidarity of India with the justness of the cause of the people of Palestine.

The AICC was distressed over the continuing horror in Bosnia and other parts of what used to be Yugoslavia.

It recommended the solidarity shown by the Indian Government with the people of Somalia. It regretted the stumbling blocks that had appeared in the path of dis mantling apartheid and establishing a nonracial democracy in South Africa on the principle of one person, one vote. It expressed solidarity with the African National Congress, under the leader ship of Nelson Mandela and urged an end to the international strike that had broken out in Angola.

The AICC appreciated the steps taken by the government to reorganize and revamp India’s foreign policy to better serve the national economic goal. The resolution said, in this context, the major thrust being given to up gradation of India’s relations with such major global economic powers as the European Community was of special significance. The recent visits to India of the British and Spanish Prime Ministers and the German Chancellor, and the Indian Prime Minister’s visit to France were of special significance.

The resolution congratulated the Indian Government for the leading role played by the Indian delegation to the earth summit at Rio de Janeiro, in particular for the establishment of Agenda21. The AICC wanted that the work begun at Rio, specially the opening provided for free and unimpeded access to environment friendly technology as envisaged in Rajiv Gandhi’s proposal for a planet protection fund, must be followed up with all deliberate speed. The AICC expressed the resolve to look forward to the hosting by India of the summit of the G15 this year.

The AICC reaffirmed its resolve to make India a self-reliant country and to be in a position to serve the larger causes of the world.

Moving the resolution on international affairs, the External Affairs Minister, Dinesh Singh, referred to the call given by Narasimha Rao for the fulfillment of the action plan by the end of present century which was proposed for nuclear disarmament. He described the step taken by Rao as timely and realistic. He said India should be prepared to carry through any nonproliferation proposal that was nondiscriminatory, universal and took care of security interests of all countries.

Emphasizing the relevance of nonalignment, he sought the support of the AICC to the resolution seeking a greater role for the United Nations,

Dinesh Singh cautioned against coercive democracy on the pre text of democracy and human rights, He wanted the AICC to affirm that professions of concern and compassion should not be come alibis for violations of sovereignty of nations. The resolution on international affairs was moved after the political resolution was on March 28 passed with three amendments, One of the amendments emphasized the urgency of taking steps to curb the influence of fundamentalism, Winding up the debate on the political resolution, the Maharashtra Chief Minister, Sharad Pawar, cautioned the people against the consistent at tempts being made by the RSS and the BJP to capture Indian history with the intention of giving it a communal color.

Article extracted from this publication >>  April 2, 1993