By Ashish
Kumar Sen
San Francisco, March 8:
US President Bill Clinton's decision to stop over in Pakistan,
disregarding a stream of protest from Indian officials, is being seen by
a majority of South Asia analysts in Washington DC as a "direct
snub" to the Indian government's lobbying efforts.
"It (this decision) is a fallout of the clumsy efforts by the Indians to try and keep Mr Clinton away from Pakistan," said one analyst.
Mr Naresh Chandra, India's ambassador in Washington DC, who in earlier statements had felt it necessary to warn Mr Clinton about the repercussions of a Pakistan visit just as "a good host warns his guest about the potholes on the way to his door," made a significant climbdown over the weekend. Mr Chandra, who was scheduled to meet White House chief of staff John Podesta and national security adviser Sandy Berger on Wednesday, was reported as saying that if the issue of a Pakistan trip was raised he would tell the officials: "Let's forget about Pakistan, let's talk about India." India's stand on warning Mr Clinton about a Pakistan visit didn't go down well in Washington DC, and many feel the Pakistanis have this "bullying posture adopted by the Indians" to thank for Mr Clinton's final decision.
Pakistan's ambassador to Washington DC Maleeha Lodhi told The Asian Age the entire nation of Pakistan welcomed the President's decision. "He (Mr Clinton) will be received warmly in our country," Dr Lodhi said, adding: "The President's visit to our region could be truly historic if it leads to promotion of peace and security in South Asia and facilitates a just and durable settlement of the Kashmir dispute based on the wishes of the Kashmiri people." "Pakistan remains prepared to support President Clinton's efforts towards these goals," she said.
Prominent India backers were swift in their reactions but, instead of speaking out against the decision, felt Mr Clinton must now focus on the restoration of democracy in Pakistan. New York Democrat Congressman and co-chairman of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans Gary Ackerman, urged President Clinton to forcefully seek guarantees from the Pakistani military dictatorship that democracy would be returned to the country at the earliest possible opportunity.
"The return of democracy should be the main item on the agenda when President Clinton meets with Gen. Musharraf during the stopover in Pakistan," Mr Ackerman said.
"I will also insist that the junta in Islamabad undertake verifiable steps to stop its proxy war against India, especially in the state of Jammu and Kashmir," he said, adding this meant that terrorist organisations such as the Harkat ul-Mujahideen and Lashkar e-Tayyaba be outlawed by Pakistan and the regime in Islamabad shut down all the training camps that produce these terror outfits.
Democrat congressman Sam Gejdenson, ranking member of the House International Relations Committee, said: "Recognising that the President has made the decision to go to Pakistan, I expect him to demand concrete actions towards restoring democracy, curbing terrorism and non-proliferation." In a statement, Mr Gejdenson said he was troubled by Pakistan's relationship with organisations that have been linked to the hijacking of the Indian Airlines jet in January. "I hope the President will use this opportunity to address our concerns on security," he said.
South Dakota Senator Tim Johnson, who recently visited Pakistan and met Gen. Musharraf, said he was hopeful the President's visit would bring both India and Pakistan "closer to a resolution of another major problem in South Asia - the Kashmir dispute." Republican congressman from Indiana Dan Burton felt: "Now, more than ever, Pakistan needs our engagement." New Jersey Democrat Congressman Frank Pallone Jr, chairman of the Sri Lanka caucus, called on the President to take a tough line with Gen. Musharraf on such key issues as democracy, nuclear proliferation and terrorism.
Even though he had been strongly opposed to a Pakistan visit by Mr Clinton, Mr Pallone said he now hoped that the presidential visit would provide an opportunity for "candid, productive discussion between the US chief executive and the military dictatorship on Islamabad's need to dramatically change its course in a number of key areas. Despite my initial reservations, I hope that the President's visit to Pakistan will offer an opportunity for some straight talk." "It is important that President Clinton express to Gen. Musharraf that the US is very concerned about Pakistan's role in fomenting instability in Kashmir, about the links between Pakistan and terrorist organisations, and about Pakistan's role in the proliferation of nuclear weapons and missile technology," Mr Pallone said. "The President's trip is also an opportunity for the US to demonstrate that democracy is the key to economic development and security in Asia," he added.
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