Return to Bilateralism

INDIA AND PAKISTAN have in the past few days relearnt the bitter lesson that there is no alternative to bilateralism and that their dependence on a third party leaves them with less than half the loaf each. The geopolitical reality, harsh as always, is that with Washington's single-minded pursuit of its national interest, it would be futile to expect it to work overtime for other countries. The warm handshake that Brajesh Mishra, National Security Adviser, received in Washington from the American President and the cold shoulder that Indian leaders got in Delhi from Richard Armitage, the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, during the weekend are no accident or contradiction. They are signals to India that while it is welcome as a strategic partner it is being extremely short-sighted in expecting Washington to lean on Pakistan in support of its cause. If the Vajpayee Government had set much store by the visit of Mr. Armitage, hoping that he would come back with the kind of promise from Islamabad that he did last time, it has only itself to blame for the disappointing end result. As for Mr. Armitage, the diplomatic firefighter, he has completed one more of his missions to the subcontinent, his main objective of lowering the heat having been achieved for all practical purposes. Mr. Armitage made it clear that the U.S. would leave it to the two countries to sort their disputes by themselves. New Delhi would not have missed his pointed remark on the U.S. wanting "all violence to end" and its concern about "all civilian deaths" in Kashmir.

The two neighbours must now decide whether they will proceed on the path they have boldly charted for themselves in the weeks since the April 17 initiative of Mr. Vajpayee or allow the hardliners on both sides to retake the stage and push the subcontinent to the brink. The ceaseless talk of "double standards" which contrasts with India's own effort to keep the Kashmir issue out of the international agenda and the noises being raised in this country mostly by sections belonging to the ruling alliance reflect a negative mindset, the same mindset that resulted in the shabby treatment of the visiting Parliamentary delegation from Pakistan. The ideological blinkers of the BJP and its allies blanked out an interaction with members of the team who otherwise received a warm welcome everywhere. These posturings notwithstanding, the two countries have, by their standards, travelled quite some distance since April 17 in terms of reciprocal forward steps beginning with the prospective return of the High Commissioners and resumption of air, road and rail links. More goodwill visits and confidence-building measures are expected even as the two countries attempt to keep up the momentum by building on the groundswell of support for the process and a willingness to lower expectations following the two failed attempts earlier.

With India having made the unconditional offer of the hand of friendship, the onus is on Pakistan to address New Delhi's major concern and demonstrate a serious and binding commitment to halt and altogether end cross-border incursions. With the onset of summer, there will be proof on the ground that Pakistan is keeping its promise. India would judge Islamabad by its actions rather than words, keeping in view Pervez Musharraf's promise on closing down militant training camps in PoK. With sustained pressure from the U.S. — the publicised visit to Washington by the powerful chief of the Inter-Services Intelligence is a pointer — Pakistan knows that the situation cannot continue as it is and that it can no more use militancy as a point of leverage with India. Ironically, with receding fears of a fundamentalist backlash over the Kashmir issue, Mr. Musharraf is in a stronger position now than at any time since seizing power two and a half years ago to transform the current turning point in bilateral relations into a permanent reality for mutual good.