JAKARTA: The prime ministers of India and Pakistan recently held an 80-minute discussion on various bilateral issues but there was little hope for optimism about any progress on the Kashmir question. However, both Narasimha Rao and Nawaz Sharif expressed the determination to continue their efforts to overcome the recent setbacks in Indo-Pak relations and work for normalizing them.
It was agreed that discussions on Siachem, Sir Creek and other bilateral issues would be held before January since the leaders are expected to meet again in Dhaka in December at the SAARC summit. The aim is to explore the possibility of making some progress towards settling the less contentious questions before the event.
Rao raised the issue of the Pakistan national assembly adopting a resolution on the Babri Masjid Ram Janma Bhoomi issue which the government had earlier described as an instance of interference in internal affairs. Sharif is understood to have explained the circumstances in which the resolution was passed.
On the threat by supporters of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front to cross the Line of Control at several points next month, Sharif assured India that his government would do its best to ensure that the situation did not get out of hand.
That the discussions, held over breakfast, were marked by realism was evident from the remarks made by both the leaders while speaking to correspondents, Rao said: We have to realize that inspite of setbacks, our relations have improved, Our talks were held in a cordial atmosphere and after going into all the details of the setbacks that we came across, we still feel that we have to continue our efforts, not always expecting immediate or instantaneous success but realizing that the effort is worth making irrespective of the immediate results. This, I think, puts into focus what we discussed.”
Describing the discussion as “cordial” and “very meaningful,” Sharif said he agreed with Rao that “we have got to overcome the setbacks that have taken place in the recent past. There is no doubt that we will certainly make an effort to do so and hopefully, we will be able to keep on discussing with each other whenever we have a chance to meet.”
He referred to the sixth round of talks between the foreign secretaries held in New Delhi recently, saying the talks would continue at the official level as well,
Asked about the extent to which Kashmir figured in the talks, the Pakistan prime minister stated: “As usual, we have also discussed the Kashmir issue among others. Of course, there is this urge to resolve the Kashmir issue through peaceful negotiations and I hope we will be able to make some headway in this regard.”
Asked why he had sought to discuss the Kashmir issue at the NAM summit, Sharif said “There has not been any discussion on that. All that I said in my speech was that we would like to resolve this matter during bilateral discussions and through peaceful negotiations. This is all I said after highlighting what the problem still stand by that position.”
Rao said in reply to a question that the issue of illegal entry of arms into India from across the border figured in the talks but did not elaborate on the point.
The NAM political committee has accepted India’s position on the issue of terrorism that all member-states fulfill their obligations to international law.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 18, 1992
