DATE=2/22/99
TYPE=CORESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-245780
TITLE=INDIA / PAK TALKS (L)
BYLINE=JIM TEEPLE
DATELINE=NEW DELHI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: MEDIA REACTION HERE IN NEW DELHI HAS BEEN
LOW-KEY-BUT-POSITIVE TO THE RESULTS OF TWO DAYS OF TALKS BETWEEN
THE PRIME MINISTERS OF INDIA AND PAKISTAN. V-O-A'S JIM TEEPLE
REPORTS FROM THE INDIAN CAPITAL..
TEXT: INDIAN NEWSPAPERS ARE GENERALLY UPBEAT ABOUT THE TALKS
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY BETWEEN ATAL BEHARARI VAJPAYEE AND NAWAZ
SHARIFF. THE "TIMES OF INDIA" SAYS THE "ICE HAS BEEN BROKEN
BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN," WHILE THE "PIONEER" NEWSPAPER SAYS
BOTH COUNTRIES HAVE TAKEN A "QUANTUM LEAP TOWARDS PEACE."
HOWEVER, INDIAN PRIME MINISTER VAJPAYEE SAYS HE TOLD PRIME
MINISTER NAWAZ SHARIF CONTINUED VIOLENCE IN INDIAN KASHMIR WOULD
MAKE NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS DIFFICULT. SINCE FRIDAY MORE
THAN 30 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED IN THE REGION.
AT THE CONCLUSION OF THEIR TALKS, BOTH PRIME MINISTERS AGREED TO
INTENSIFY THEIR EFFORTS TO RESOLVE ALL ISSUES INCLUDING
TERRITORIAL ONES IN KASHMIR. BRAHAMA CHELLANEY IS A PROFESSOR OF
SECURITY STUDIES AT THE INDEPENDENT CENTER FOR POLICY RESEARCH IN
NEW DEHLI. MR. CHELLANEY SAYS NEITHER LEADER WAS IN ANY POSITION
TO COMPROMISE ON KASHMIR.
// CHELLANEY ACTUALITY //
MR. VAJPAYEE, AND MR. NAWAZ SHARIF ARE BOTH BOTH
PERCEIVED DOMESTICALLY AS WEAK PRIME MINISTERS WHO AT
THE MOMENT ARE UNDER DOMESTIC PRESSURE. SO, FOR BOTH,
THE TALKS WERE A HELPFUL DIVERSION FROM THEIR DOMESTIC
PROBLEMS.
// END ACTUALITY //
IN THEIR MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BOTH PRIME MINISTERS AGREED
TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ANY ACCIDENTAL, UNAUTHORIZED OR UNEXPLAINED
INCIDENT WHICH COULD LEAD TO NUCLEAR WAR.
BRAHAMA CHELLANEY SAYS THE STEPS ARE WELCOME BUT HAD ALREADY
ESSENTIALLY BEEN AGREED TO AT EARLIER, LOWER-LEVEL TALKS. MR.
CHELLANEY SAYS MUCH MORE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ACCOMPLISHED IN LAHORE.
// CHELLANEY ACTUALITY //
IF THERE HAD BEEN MORE PLANNING, IF MR. NAWAZ SHARIF HAD
NOT SUDDENLY SPRUNG A SURPRISE BY INVITING MR. VAJPAYEE
AND MR. VAJPAYEE HAD NOT SURPRISED HIS COUNTRY AND
PAKISTAN BY ACCEPTING MR. NAWAZ SHARIF'S INVITATION SO
HURRIDLY. IF THE TWO SIDES HAD ACTUALLY PLANNED SUCH A
DIALOGUE, THEN THEY COULD HAVE ACCOMPLISHED MORE. BUT,
AS IT WAS, THIS WAS ALMOST AN IMPROMPTU SUMMIT BETWEEN
THE TWO SIDES.
// END ACTUALITY //
ALTHOUGH THEIR SUMMIT WAS SHORT -- JUST OVER 24 HOURS -- IT WAS
DRAMATIC. PRIME MINISTER VAJPAYEE TRAVELED TO PAKISTAN FROM
NORTHERN CITY, AMRITSAR, ON BOARD A BUS -- A TRIP WHICH HE SAID
SYMBOLIZED THE DESIRE OF ORDINARY PEOPLE IN BOTH COUNTRIES TO
VISIT EACH OTHER. REGULAR PASSENGER BUS SERVICE BETWEEN
PAKISTAN AND INDIA WILL BEGIN NEXT MONTH. DEHLI TRANSPORT
OFFICIALS SAY DEMAND FOR THE TICKETS HAS BEEN HIGH. (SIGNED)
NEB / JLT / CB / WD
22-Feb-99 3:04 AM EST (0804 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
