The onus is slowly shifting to India to ease its pressure on Pakistan. US Secretary of State Colin Powell, who flew in here this evening from Islamabad, said the US was ‘‘anxious’’ to see talks begin, including on Kashmir, and insisted that New Delhi respond positively to the ‘‘important statement’’ made by General Pervez Musharraf last week.
Sources said that the contours of an agreement to break the current deadlock between India and Pakistan, ‘‘facilitated’’ by the US, are falling into place. They revolve around, as a first step, the handover of some of the Indians on the list of 20 that New Delhi gave Islamabad. These could possibly include the four Khalistani terrorists on that list.
Powell, who arrived in Delhi via Afghanistan, said he was told by Musharraf that he would ‘‘take action against the non-Pakistanis’’ on that list. ‘‘In my conversations with him, he did not rule this out,’’ he added.
‘‘The more evidence we can provide (on these terrorists), the better,’’ he said, pointing out that Islamabad was awaiting ‘‘more evidence.’’
En route to India, Powell told reporters that India should take some political and diplomatic steps, including the reversal of some of its recent measures. These include the return of diplomats, the reopening of air space and reestablishment of other links.
Nevertheless, Powell refused to spell out certain specific suggestions to de-escalate the crisis, saying he would like to first meet Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and discuss these with him.
And although External Affairs minister Jaswant Singh stood his ground at the press conference, insisting that Islamabad must first take action on the ground, it seems likely that New Delhi will soon respond with an offer of talks.
It is possible, sources said, that in ‘‘the best case scenario,’’ Singh will accept the standing invitation by the Pakistan Government and fly to Islamabad.
Still, the body language between the two foreign ministers this evening seemed quite relaxed.
He described as ‘‘perfectly understandable’’ India’s demand to first see action on the ground by Islamabad. Asked whether the US would advocate the conversion of the Line of Control into the International Border as a solution to the Kashmir issue, Powell said, ‘‘The question is we are anxious to see a dialogue begin between India and Pakistan on all issues including Kashmir. We hope the current tension and the situation is resolved as quickly as possible.’’
He added that it would not be ‘‘wise or responsible’’ to say what that solution could be, but could include the possibility of the conversion of the LoC into the IB.
Powell was also asked to comment on Musharraf’s remark that Kashmir runs in the blood of the Paksitani people. ‘‘To the extent we can help bring that dialogue about and to the extent that both sides ask us to assist them as they go through the dialogue, the US is always ready to assist its two friends. It must be a dialogue between the two countries,’’ he added.
Reuters adds: Musharraf’s package of sweeping reforms unveiled in his address to the nation last weekend appeared to have won him more financial support from Washington. Powell said today that the US and Pakistan were finalising plans to reopen a mission of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) in Pakistan.
The last USAID office in Pakistan
closed in 1990. In an interview with CBS, Powell said he did not think
the situation was as dangerous as a week ago and that the Pakistani President’s
speech had helped ease tensions.