New Delhi, May 13
The change of government in India will not affect the ongoing India-Pakistan peace talks, sources in the Government of India and Pakistan High Commission here told The Tribune today.
Islamabad is not looking at the Congress with apprehension and diplomats in the Pakistan High Commission here on condition of anonymity said that they were perfectly at ease with the spectre of working with a Congress-led government in New Delhi.
In fact, a source in Pakistan High Commission went to the extent of commenting that if Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee were to return to power he would have been a much harder bargainer for Islamabad.
The Pakistan High Commission diplomatic staff, led by High Commissioner Aziz Ahmed Khan, has been following the Indian election results keenly. The sources said it was very much on the cards that Mr Khan congratulates Congress President Sonia Gandhi once the election results get firmed up.
The Vajpayee government has been ousted at a time when the Indo-Pak talks are set to get into top gear from this month itself. On May 25, the two countries are set to begin their two-day expert-level talks on nuclear confidence-building measures (CBMs).
This is to be followed by a meeting of Committee on Drug Trafficking and Smuggling next month. The Foreign Ministers of the two countries are to meet in August this year to review the overall progress. The ministerial meeting is to be preceded by a one-day meeting of the Foreign Secretaries.
The senior Congress leader, Mr K. Natwar Singh, who is one of the hot contenders for the post of External Affairs Minister, was asked by The Tribune this evening whether the change of government would affect the Indo-Pak peace process in any manner. His response was candid: “Why should it be affected. We are for good
neighbourly and cordial relations with Pakistan. We are always in favour of negotiations, talks and a dialogue with Pakistan because the diplomatic door should not be shut. How do you proceed if you do not talk.”
Asked if the May 25-26 nuclear CBMs talks with Pakistan would be held as scheduled or would it have to be rescheduled, the former Minister of State for External Affairs said: “The new government would take oath on Monday or Tuesday. Then we will see what is to be done, which matter is to be given priority.”
