New Delhi, April 29
May 10 seems to be the cut-off date for the world to know where Indo-Pak relations are headed to and what concrete steps, if any, are to be announced to take the bilateral relations between the two estranged nuclear powers out of deep freeze.
Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary and National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra will leave for the USA on May 6 for a three-day crucial visit where he is likely to confer with top officials of the Bush administration. Indo-Pak relations are expected to dominate Mr Mishra’s talks with the US officials.
On May 9 US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage will arrive here for a two-day visit during which he will meet top Indian leader. Mr Armitage will arrive here from Pakistan, raising a feeling of deja vu in the subcontinent.
It is understood that this time too Mr Armitage will be briefing the Indian leadership on his talks with the Pakistani leaders.
However, it would be too early for the Vajpayee government to announce further de-escalation measures vis-a-vis Pakistan, like exchanging High Commissioners, reviving road, rail and air links and resuming economic ties, people-to-people contacts and sporting links.
For the two countries to travel down the road of de-escalation of tensions, the visits of Mr Mishra to the USA and Mr Armitage to India and Pakistan will be important. And, sources added, a tangible shape of things to come could become clearer only on or after May 10.
However, as of now, top echelons in security, strategic and diplomatic establishments of the Vajpayee government are understood to be sceptical about a "breakthrough" in Indo-Pak relations following Mr Jamali’s telephone call to Mr Vajpayee yesterday. Mr Vajpayee himself today when he said at the BJP Parliamentary Party meeting: "I was invited to visit Pakistan by Prime Minister of that country but I have not accepted it."
A top official of the Vajpayee government told The Tribune that the effect of Mr Jamali’s phone call to Mr Vajpayee would have to be judged by the situation on the ground. And to judge that it would take some time.
