Pakistan ready for 'step-by-step' settlement - The Hindu

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Pakistan today expressed willingness to opt for a "step-by-step," settlement on
the "core issue of Kashmir" and called for a "a lot more of confidence-building on
both sides," to attain the objective. The two countries have the "potential" to
do so, according to the Pakistan Foreign Minister, Mr. Gohar Ayub Khan.

Giving a glimpse of this new diplomatic mood in Pakistan's camp on the eve of the
Prime Minister, Mr. Nawaz Sharif s long-awaited meeting with his Indian
counterpart, Mr. I. K. Gujral, in the Maldives on May 12, Mr. Ayub Khan said:
"Kashmir, on the agenda, would need (or mean) the item there for a resolution,
step-by-step resolution".

The Minister responded affirmatively when The Hindu asked him whether he would
confirm the transparent new Pakistani approach of displaying a willingness to
consider a "step-by-step" methodology for settling the Kashmir question.

A for the "mechanism", as distinct from this methodology, that Pakistan has
already indicated by proposing the formation of bilateral working groups on each
of the issues at stake, including Kashmir, he said: "Let the Prime Ministers meet
and the date for the Foreign Secretaries (meeting) be set. .. Once we resolve this
issue (Kashmir through a step-by-step approach), you will see the latent energy of
the subcontinent coming into itself.. We are hamstrung, we have been tied up."

Answering questions from a small group of international journalists at the
conclusion of the morning session of the South Asian Association for Regional
Cooperation (SAARC) ministerial conference here, Mr. Ayub Khan spoke in glowing
terms about what can be seen as a personal chemistry between the present Prime
Ministers of India and Pakistan.

He said: "If you have a person (Mr. Gujral) who is prepared to even listen, that
is a positive point, a person who is prepared to talk or understand the issue. Mr.
Gujral is from Jhelum. His father was a member of the Pakistan Legislative
Assembly. He signed the Register of the Legislative Assembly as Serial Number 46
in Karachi on August 10, 1947. Now, that is a plus point."

According to Mr. Ayub Khan, the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan today
"understand each other". Explaining that Mr. Nawaz Sharif and Mr. Gujral had
originally hailed from the territories that eventually belonged to the other side,
the Pakistan Foreign Minister said: "Both can speak the same language etc. This is
something that breaks the ice, gives them accommodation to talk to each other on
the same wavelength. But they require a lot more of confidence-building on both
sides. I think they have the potential. There is an atmosphere," for this.

Beneath this new willingness to try a strategy of flexibility for an
India-Pakistan "informal summit" of sweet smiles and brave bonhomie, Mr. Ayub Khan
remained firm on certain aspects of his country's foreign policy. He insisted
that the litmus test of bilateral diplomacy would be a desire to "solve this
issue" of Kashmir. Pakistan would assess the "seriousness of India in resolving
this." He even reiterated Pakistan's view that its creation was traceable to a
"decision" by Gandhiji and Nehru to "divide" India in 1947. Recalling that a
"referendum" was held in the North-West Frontier Province and Sylhet in Bengal at
the time of the partition of the sub-continent in 1947, the Minister contended
that the Kashmir issue should be seen in that context.

In an effort to re-emphasise Pakistan's priorities, with particular reference to
Kashmir, Mr. Ayub Khan said: "Supposing your foot is hurting or there is a nail in
your shoe that is pinching you, you don't go and have a tooth extracted to get rid
of that nail."

The Minister indicated, too, that there was no question, even now, of Pakistan
agreeing to relegate Kashmir to a "back-burner", especially when the India "cannot
stamp out an idea" in Kashmir by "putting the entire Indian Army" there. At the
same time, he said, Pakistan would be willing to discuss with India all other
outstanding bilateral issues as well.

While setting an overall positive tone for the ensuing Gujral-Sharif parleys, Mr.
Ayub Khan left open the question whether Pakistan would in fact seek to take the
Kashmir issue to the international Court of justice in The Hague even while
experimenting with a bilateral approach in regard to India. He said this question
should be put to Mr. Sharif himself, but it is understood that Pakistan has
virtually decided against going to the International Court of Justice.

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