Musharraf sees nothing but Kashmir

Replays same words on Kashmir, terrorism; Sings PM’s praises; Only new line: no role for third party yet

JYOTI MALHOTRA & FARHAN BOKHARI

NEW DELHI, ISLAMABAD, JULY 20: VERY much aware that he had a captive audience at home and across the border, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf held forth for over two hours underlining the primacy of Kashmir as the core dispute between India and Pakistan. And although he sugar-coated this pill with effusive praise for Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee—referring several times to his ‘‘courage and statesmanship’’—he rejected virtually every statement made from New Delhi over the past few days..

Refusing to acknowledge cross-border terrorism—a condition that India insists on—he said there was a freedom struggle going on in the Valley in what was clearly a signal to his constituencies, including the hardliners at home, that he would not yield.

Yet, there were pointers that there could be a window of opportunity to break the deadlock, if not overcome the divide. Not only did he not once mention the UN resolutions, he also—in a stand radically different from earlier ones taken by Islamabad—was cool to the role of a third party in mediation.

‘‘We are big, responsible and understanding states. It is best to solve our disputes mutually,’’ he said. And that ‘‘outside mediation’’ could be required only when ‘‘we have no self-confidence to resolve our issues,’’ or fail to ‘‘display responsibility.’’

Through the press conference, the General brooked no opposition, even when an Indian journalist gently pointed out that the Indian perspective on Kashmir was very different.

‘‘If by national honour you mean that Kashmir is ‘atoot ang,’ (integral part of India), then I’m afraid that the national honour of the two countries are in conflict,’’ the General retorted sharply, adding, ‘‘I am very clear about that answer in our part of the country. Kashmir is the core issue.’’ If Musharraf was seen to have mounted a propaganda coup at his breakfast meeting with Indian editors in Agra, his shrill and somewhat limited world view in Islamabad began to wear somewhat thin after a while. His rejection of any other perspective on Kashmir, whether at Shimla or at Lahore (‘‘where the centrality of Kashmir was not recognized’’) during tonight’s live broadcast is bound to only further alienate public opinion in India.

Interestingly, a number of questions to Musharraf dwelt on the reasons for the ‘‘failure’’ at Agra. While he did not release copies of the nearly agreed drafts between the two sides as feared in New Delhi, he pointed out that two of the drafts had been agreed to with Vajpayee, but these did not materialize in the end.

Again and again, he was all praise for the Prime Minister, leading analysts to believe here that Musharraf was trying to identify the ‘‘saboteur’’ of Agra. Especially since the Indian side, including External Affairs minister Jaswant Singh, had practically agreed to a declaration by about 3 pm when he was to leave for Ajmersharief on Monday afternoon.

At one point, Musharraf said, the Indian side had even got two chairs ready for himself and Vajpayee in preparation for
a press conference to announce the declaration, implying that the deal with India had all been tied up. ‘‘Certainly, I would never agree (on a deal) unless focus was not on Kashmir as the core issue,’’ he added.

In a gesture described by some western diplomats as another step in his PR offensive, Musharraf suggested that he would be keen to receive Vajpayee and Jaswant Singh even before the United Nations General Assembly in September.

‘‘Now we have to see whether they come before my UN visit. If the come they are most welcome, because we certainly would like to reciprocate their hospitality and we would like to move the discussions forward,’’ he said.

However, Western diplomats said they did not expect Vajpayee visiting Pakistan till the end of the year or even early next year. By then Vajpayee and Musharraf would have met once in New York, and perhaps even a second time if a summit between the countries which are members of SAARC has taken place.

Musharraf’s news conference, delayed by two hours, though widely seen by analysts in the diplomatic community as yet another attempt to woo opinion in India, was also described by some as an event that could eventually become complicated unless matched by progress.

‘‘His message is very clear but as negotiations evolve, a time will come when India and Pakistan would both face challenging questions on exactly what progress do you have to show for yourselves,’’ said a senior Asian diplomat in Islamabad.

‘‘The initial couple of meetings may be recognised as ice-breakers but then progress would have to be delivered.’’

Musharraf’s candid remarks on hardliners, seeking support from the majority on both sides which supports peace, were also seen by diplomats as a risky policy.

‘‘He may be taking on the hardliners but a time would come when the hardliners could start ganging up against them. He has to recognise that peace dividends not only have to come but have to come very fast,’’ said a Western diplomat.