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Turkey backs Simla accord
Smita Prakash

Ankara, September 17
In a major boost to India’s stand on the Kashmir issue, the Turkish government has made it known that it is in favour of a resolution of the Kashmir issue between India and Pakistan on the basis of the Simla agreement.

Turkey is keen to forge a close relationship with India and its policy-makers do not want the Kashmir issue and by implication Ankara’s ties with Islamabad to stand in the way of moving towards a strategic relationship with India which has the support of the United States. It is important to understand the depth of the US-Turkey relations and their regional implications extending upto the Kashmir issue.

Well- placed sources here said Turkey was very clear about compartmentalising its bilateral ties with India and with Pakistan. While Pakistan is “Kardish” or brother India is “ Friend”. But brotherly feelings apart Ankara has made it known to Islamabad that it endorses the Simla accord and that the Kashmir issue should be settled in a peaceful manner. Turkish sources told ANI that their government was continuing to play a moderating role even in the contact group on Kashmir, as it desired that the process of dialogue should lead to a Kashmir solution.

Turkey has also strongly supported India’s stand on terrorism. For over two decades Turkey itself has been dealing with cross border terrorism mounted against it by the Kurdish militants operating from Northern Iraq. Ankara understands what it means to be at the receiving end of terrorism and in that context it has extended full support to the Indian position.

In fact, well placed sources here have revealed that Ankara has continuously cautioned Islamabad to reign in groups involved with cross-border terrorism against India. This is a little-publicised fact as Pakistan is a “ brotherly “ nation but away from the media glare Turkey has been urging Pakistan to clean up its act. India’s cooperation with Turkey on matters of terrorism is going to grow. Ankara will be sharing with India information on terrorist groups who operate in the region, their modus operandi, financial trails and so forth. Turkey takes its secular credentials very seriously and there is a complete meeting of minds with India where secularism is concerned.

Well placed Turkish sources say they are looking at enlarging relations with India based on the bedrock of secularism that the two nations share. Turkish sources say they understand India’s position on Kashmir and terrorism and this position has been made clear to Islamabad. — ANI