The Hindu : 'China, a factor in resolving Indo-Pak. dispute'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 15, 2002

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'China, a factor in resolving Indo-Pak. dispute'

By Amit Baruah

NEW DELHI NOV. 14. China must be included in some discussions to resolve the dispute between India and Pakistan, Charles Doran, Director of International Relations at the Johns Hopkins University in Washington, said in a conversation.

Talking to this correspondent, Prof. Doran said that in his view Pakistan was, to some degree, China's "stalking horse''. China, he said, "feels the rivalry with India and recognises that the problems of Pakistan keep India preoccupied in terms of international political matters''.

Asked whether India and China were competitors, he said both nations had been highly successful on the economic fronts, but faced problems.

"....Of course, they are competitors in terms of influence within the Asian sphere....and every smaller country in the area senses this at least as much as the two Governments do,'' he said. "....There is a sense that this (Indo-Pakistan) dispute can only be resolved in a larger international context. It should not be looked at simply as a conflict between Pakistan and India. Unfortunately, it's much more than that.

``At a minimum, it's going to involve China. Russia, although much weakened relative to the Soviet Union, nonetheless continues to have deep interest in all these matters...,'' he said, adding that the United States and the European Union, too, could be helpful. Prof. Doran hinted at the political and technological support that China had extended to Pakistan from time to time.

To a question on the view from Washington about India and Pakistan, he said the U.S. policy community was "very perturbed'' by the recent border mobilisation.

Prof. Doran said it was the "rationality'' of New Delhi and the willingness of Islamabad and other Governments "to go along with steps that would cool off tensions a bit which led to a reduction in tensions''.

Expressing concerns over the vulnerabilities of the "small'' Indian and Pakistani nuclear capability, he said the dynamics of the technology itself made it "very, very prone'' to a surprise attack.

"...The feeling in Washington, I think, is that we got through this (Indo-Pak. crisis), God willing, this is not the kind of thing to re-enact and next time we may not be so lucky,'' he said.

On the visible improvement in Indo-U.S. relations, he said: "Globalisation has had a huge effect. If the private sector in India and the private sector in the U.S. were not benefiting so much from this relationship, and providing so many jobs and so much income for these countries, the Governments would have had a lot harder job in coordinating policies.''

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