The Hindu : Pak. accepts many CBMs, attaches riders to others

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Oct 30, 2003

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Pak. accepts many CBMs, attaches riders to others

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD Oct. 29. Pakistan today accepted many of the 12 confidence-building measures (CBMs) proposed by India last week but attached riders to some.

Soft proposals such as the restoration of sporting ties in all fields, including cricket, were endorsed without any hitch. But changes were sought in the case of some CBMs, altering their very spirit. This was best illustrated in India's proposal for a Muzaffarabad-Srinagar bus link.

"We welcome the start of a bus service between Muzaffarabad and Srinagar but since Kashmir is a disputed territory, check posts in the area must be manned by U.N. forces and people of both sides must carry U.N. documents," the Pakistan Foreign Secretary, Riaz A. Khokar, told a press conference.

In what is a clear attempt to reach out to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan mooted 100 scholarships for graduate and post-graduate students from the State. Further, it floated the idea of free treatment for disabled persons, widows and victims of rape affected by "operations of agencies" and wanted Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch to help implement the schemes.

Mr. Khokar expressed the hope that New Delhi would permit these agencies to work in the State.

These counter-proposals have serious implications for India in that allowing their implementation will be tantamount to not only accepting Kashmir as "a disputed territory" but also conceding the Pakistani viewpoint that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are "under a tyrannical rule".

Pakistan considers the CBMs announced by India as nothing more than cosmetic steps for the improvement of relations. Mr. Khokar described the CBMs as "non-issues" and emphasised that the immediate resumption of dialogue was the need of the hour.

In his opening statement, he expressed disappointment that India had made no mention of what he called "composite and substantive dialogue on all contentious issues, including Kashmir. ``We seek a composite dialogue on all issues, including Kashmir, because we believe this is in the mutual interest of both countries."

He reiterated Pakistan's stance on Kashmir and said, "It is due to this reason that we stress the need for composite dialogue between Pakistan and India."

To a question why Pakistan was laying pre-conditions for the bus service that sought to link Kashmiris on both sides, Mr. Khokhar said that if India was sincere, then it should have no objection to the counter-proposal.

He said Pakistan had no objections to the Khokhrapar rail link and the Karachi-Mumbai ferry service, but these should be included in the composite dialogue. Pakistan also accepted the technical-level talks on the restoration of air links and the resumption of the Samjhauta Express.

"We have conveyed our acceptance to holding the second round of talks for the restoration of air links," he said, adding, "We propose dates in mid-December for holding technical-level talks on resumption of the Samjhauta Express."

However, the Foreign Secretary made it clear that there must be no linkages between the talks on the air links and the resumption of the train service. "We are happy that India agrees with us on the resumption of sporting ties and we are looking forward to it."

On India's proposal to hold camp offices in remote areas to provide the visa facility, he said it was a very useful one. "We have no problem in accepting it but for this purpose we need more diplomatic staff. Therefore, we (Pakistan and India) shall restore full strength of diplomatic missions."

On an additional bus service between Lahore and New Delhi, he argued that if the Samjhauta Express resumed operations, then there would be no need for this.

However, he proposed a bus service between Lahore and Amritsar and welcomed the proposal on maritime security.

HIGHLIGHTS

Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service proposal will be accepted if the Line of Control checkpoints are manned by U.N. personnel and people travel with U.N. documents

Restoration of cricketing and other sporting links accepted.

Second round of talks on air links in Delhi on December 1 and 2.

Proposal for technical-level talks on restoration of Samjhauta Express accepted.

Linkage between air and rail links rejected.

No to increase of bus service but proposes Lahore-Amritsar route.

Setting up of links between the Coast Guard of the two countries accepted.

Visa camps in various cities accepted in principle, but wants Mission strength restored to 110, as existed before December 2001.

Allowing citizens above 65 years to cross Wagah border on foot accepted.

Launching of ferry service between Mumbai and Karachi and bus or rail link between Khokrapar in Rajasthan and Munnabao in Pakistan's Sindh province can be discussed during the composite dialogue.

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