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THE NATION:
VAJPAYEE IN US
Only
Stray Support For Musharraf
By
contrast, Pakistan Chief Executive Pervez Musharraf, who was also in the
US for the UN Millennium Summit, was not granted any formal meetings with
senior government officials during his week's stay. Apart from stray supportive
articles in the media, Musharraf failed to elicit any significant support
for Pakistan's stand on Kashmir. The US has made it quite clear that it
expects Pakistan to rein in the jehadis. Even on the more delicate issue
of the resumption of an India-Pakistan dialogue, the US has endorsed India's
contention that the conditions are still not right.
Yet, it hasn't
been an unqualified support for everything India stands for. In his private
meeting with Vajpayee, Al Gore told the prime minister that he would press
for an early endorsement of the ctbt by the Congress if he won in November.
On his part, apart from committing India to no further N-tests, Vajpayee
promised to work for a domestic consensus in favour of ctbt. This is the
first time, the Indian Government has actually spelt out its inclination
to approve the treaty, domestic politics in the winter session of Parliament
permitting.
Second, while
keeping his concern about the strife in Kashmir relatively understated,
Clinton told Vajpayee he would like to see India take a lead in bringing
peace to the subcontinent. Said Reidel: "We have seen some encouraging
steps since March-the release of Hurriyat Conference leaders by India,
the Hizbul Mujahideen cease-fire and India's response to it. But it's
not enough. We need to see more. We need to see both parties take steps
to try and bring about a reduction in the level of violence." As
for the suspended India-Pakistan dialogue, a senior State Department official
said it would be a priority once a new administration assumed charge in
January.
Not that
a new President will change the fundamentals of the new relationship with
India. If Gore wins, the continuity will be assured, with non-proliferation
acquiring a renewed importance. If George W. Bush succeeds, ctbt will
be put into cold storage and India's importance will be emphasised as
a counterweight to China. The differences are over details. In substance,
Indo-US relations seem set for a new and more amicable phase. The oldest
and largest democracies appear to have finally come to terms with each
other.
-with
Harinder Baweja in Washington
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