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| Indian and Pak leaders to face each other in London ABID SHAH | | | Early Times Report
NEW DELHI, DEC 22: The West dominated diplomatic scene in South Asia is likely to further unfold through the next month as External Affairs Minister SM Krishna has been invited by his British counterpart David Miliband to London to attend a major international conference on Afghanistan slated to begin from January 28.
Since the top leaders from Pakistan and Afghanistan too are being invited by Britain for the conference, the United States from where Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is likely to attend the conference, the delegates from nearer home would be impressed upon by her to come to terms with each other at least to make America’s AF-Pak policy work so as to enable US led NATO forces to return from Afghanistan from not-too-distant-a-date.
And in between this the Indo-Pak ties may too find the attention of the United States and Britain in order to sort out differences over the last year’s Mumbai attack as also long standing issue of Jammu and Kashmir.
Miliband called up SM Krishna over telephone from London today to invite him for the conference on Afghanistan. Later, a Press release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs here said that “External Affairs Minister underlined the importance of the international community reaffirming unambiguously its commitment to strengthening the Government of Afghanistan and continuing its support to the development and reconstruction of the country.”
It is here that Pakistan radically differs with India and resents India’s increased involvement in Afghanistan by taking over and executing several development projects like building of roads, schools, and hospitals in Afghanistan at huge costs despite often grave risk is faced by Indian workers in the embattled country.
Yet Krishna today reiterated India’s determination to fulfil its commitments to Afghan Government and its people as they build a peaceful, democratic and pluralistic Afghanistan.
More importantly, SM Krishna in his conversation today with British Foreign Secretary conveyed “India’s position that the resisting and overcoming terrorism and those who nurture, sustain and give sanctuary to terrorists and extremist elements…”
Thus, with this clearly stated position India would participate in January 28 London Conference on Afghanistan where his Pakistani counterpart and may even his higher ups like Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Geelani or President Asif Ali Zarari too may participate. From Afghanistan President Hamid Karzi would lead the Afghan delegation.
The conference would indeed tempt Pakistan to raise the Kashmir issue in order to reiterate its position for resumption of talks with India. And it is an open question as to how far Islamabad is supported by its Western allies on this.
There are no indications thus far whether the leaders of Indian and Pakistani sides would meet to discuss bilateral chill dogging their relations during the conference at London. The firm positions taken by the two countries forbade this at the international forums after July this year.
Yet this stalemate poses a formidable diplomatic challenge for David Miliband and Hillary Clinton who have often said that they would like the two South Asian giants to sort out their differences through bilateral means . And, thus, the London Conference is going to be assiduously watched not only in New Delhi or Islamabad but through the rest of the world as well.
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