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Will Clinton's proposal end Indo-Pak hostilities?
Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi
The I K Gujral government is thinking out a US proposal that India and Pakistan could discuss an exchange of territories to amicably settle their dispute over Kashmir.
Senior government officials pointed out that the proposal had been sent to both New Delhi and Islamabad and US Assistant Secretary of State Karl Inderfurth was in New Delhi to discuss its intricacies with the Indian leadership. Inderfurth, who had come to New Delhi on a two-day visit, left on Thursday for Islamabad.
US President Bill Clinton has apparently sent Inderfurth with an appeal to both India and Pakistan to use this opportunity to end their dispute. Officials said Inderfurth has already spoke to Prime Minister Gujral.
The premier felt the matter was so sensitive that he consulted Opposition parties, including the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party. Inderfurth also met Congress president Sitaram Kesri, reportedly to discuss the matter. But none of the political parties involved outlined their views on the matter.
The US proposal apparently envisages the two neighbours declaring the line of control along the Kashmir border as an international border. To achieve this, both India and Pakistan would have to exchange portions from their respective territories. It is understood that the Indians would have to hand over the inhospitable portions of the upper reaches of the Siachen glacier. What Pakistan would give in return is not known.
The officials emphasised that the proposal was still being scrutinised by the Indian leadership and that no decision in this context had been taken. They also pointed out that Gujral would convey his views on the proposal to Clinton. The US government has already said it does not perceive for itself a mediatory role but would like to 'support' the Indo-Pak talks likely to take place in New York between Gujral and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharief.
The officials stressed that India had to be satisfied that it would not be shortchanged before it agreed to the proposal. India is considering the US proposal partly due to the efforts of a 'Washington-friendly' lobby in South Block which is keen to improve Indo-US relations.
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharief is also reportedly keen to normalise relations quickly. Only last week, he sent a consignment of mangoes to Indian political leaders as a goodwill gesture.
However, on foreign policy matters, especially Kashmir, the Pakistan prime minister is bound to consult the armed forces, notably army chief General Jehangir Karamat.
Karamat reportedly prefers to keep the Kashmir issue burning since it has often helped Pakistan's regimes.
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