The Hindu : Khatami begins 3-day Pak. visit today

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 23, 2002

International

International

Khatami begins 3-day Pak. visit today

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD DEC. 22 . The Iranian President, Syed Mohammad Khatami, is arriving here tomorrow on a three-day official visit to forge a new understanding with Pakistan in the post-September 11 and the post-Taliban Afghanistan scenario.

There were serious differences between Pakistan and Iran when the Taliban was at the helm of affairs in Afghanistan. Teheran suspected the Sunni-dominated Taliban of engineering social unrest in the Shia-majority Iran. More important, Iran considered the Taliban as a protégé of Islamabad.

Differences between the two countries at the political level have been sorted out to a large extent after the Taliban's demise. In recent months, there has been a convergence of interests on Afghanistan. Both see "outside interference" in that country as a threat to the region. Against this backdrop, Mr. Khatami's visit, his first to Pakistan, would witness a great deal of bonhomie. While the focus would be on strengthening of economic ties between the two countries, little could be expected in substantial terms. The 110-member entourage would include the Foreign Minister, Kamal Kharrazi, the Defence Minister, Sham Khani, the Road and Transportation Minister, Khorram, head of the Iranian President's office and representatives of the media. Mr. Khatami would be the first head of state to visit Pakistan after the installation of Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali's Government.

"The visit of President Khatami will provide a landmark opportunity to the two sides to further strengthen bilateral relations and give them a meaningful, substantive and strategic dimension... The visit reaffirms the warm reciprocal sentiments of brotherhood and friendship existing between the two countries," a Foreign Office spokesman said in a statement. It assumed significance as it was taking place against the backdrop of an evolving situation in the region, he added.

The United States and its role in world affairs is one of the major areas where Pakistan and Iran are not on the same wavelength. While Pakistan is a "frontline" state in the U.S.-led coalition in the war against terrorism, Iran is part of the "axis of evil".

Pakistan and Iran also have different views on India. While Islamabad sees India as its "enemy number one", Teheran shares a good relationship with New Delhi. The Iran-India gas pipeline through Pakistan holds the potential of bringing all the three together but it has been hanging fire in view of New Delhi's apprehensions about the safety aspect.

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