India, Pakistan to explore peace path on Jan 17

When India and Pakistan sit down on January 17 and 18 to discuss new ways in which bilateral ties can be taken forward, the climate will be distinctly cool.

Pakistan continues to say that there can be no move forward on bilateral matters unless there is simultaneous movement towards the resolution of the Kashmir issue.

India says it is not possible to have movement on that front if Pakistan continues to export terrorism to India given the background of two spectacular recent attacks""one on Diwali in New Delhi and the shootout in Bangalore.

Sources from the Northern Areas and Gilgit, part of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir currently in Delhi to attend a conference say if the India- Pakistan relatinship is not repaired in the next six months, the process of thaw could peter out altogether. They say even some movement on Siachen""which has only marginal strategic significance to India or Sir Creek ""could signal a forward move.

Tuesday's dialogue will be at the lowest rung""the level of foreign secretaries Shyam Saran and his Pakistani counterpart Riaz Mohammad Khan. The two sides will review the progress of ongoing peace initiatives and Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs) with an aim to ensure their early implementation.

'There are new ideas which will be discussed at the meeting,' official sources said. The Indian side is expected to make some fresh proposals with regard to enhancement of people-to-people contacts, like the launch of transportation links and tourism exchanges.

The two countries will also review the progress on proposals already made like the launch of bus service between Kargil in J&K and Skardu in Northern Areas of the state under Pakistani occupation. Work with regard to launch of the truck service on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road and start of Munabao-Khokrapar train service will also be reviewed.

But as before, the focus will be on croee border terrorism. New Delhi is expected to emphasise that continuance of terror attacks could put a cloud of uncertainty on the ongoing peace process.

The Indian side is likely to stress that Pakistan was not doing enough to end terrorism emanating from its soil and needed to do much more if the peace process was to continue.

India feels that Pakistan has not fulfilled its commitment given at the highest level on ending cross-border terrorism and dismantling of terror infrastructure existing in that country.

New Delhi feels that if terror attacks continue, public opinion for the government to carry on with the peace process will start ending, making it difficult for India to pursue it.

The talks are being held in the backdrop of Pakistan's suggestions for 'self-governance' and demilitarisation in Jammu and Kashmir and war-of-words between the two countries over situation in Balochistan.

The suggestions for demilitarisation and 'self-governance' made at the highest level by President Pervez Musharraf more than a week back but rejected promptly by India, may be raised by the Pakistani side at the meeting.

Musharraf had specifically suggested that troops be withdrawn from three places in Kashmir - Srinagar, Kupwara and Baramulla - and in turn promised to help in ending 'militancy' there. But demilitarisation was rejected by India on the grounds that it was a sovereign decision and that the situation was not ready for it.

Some radical moves are needed if the impetus of the normalisation process is to be maintained. But given the climate, this seems unlikely.