India Offers Relief Support - Track II
Islamabad, September 2, 2010: At the 5th round of the Chaopraya Dialogue - Track II talks at Bangkok held between leading opinion makers from India and Pakistan from 28-30 August 2010, the Indian delegation offered both their solidarity and support to their Pakistani counterparts. The Pakistan delegation was headed by Formal Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ms. Sherry Rehman, while the Indian delegation was led by Gen (retd.) Dipankar Banerjee and Amitabh Mattoo, Professor, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University. The deliberations commenced by observing a minute of silence to commiserate with the victims of the recent floods in Pakistan.
The Pakistani participants welcomed the offer of Indian humanitarian aid. All the participants hoped that this crisis will lead to greater cooperation between the two countries. At the end of two days of comprehensive interactions on a range of issues impacting the India and Pakistan relationship, a consensus document was agreed upon by the participants.
A sustained dialogue between New Delhi and Islamabad, including on Jammu and Kashmir, was required to ensure lasting peace and recommended New Delhi and Islamabad should facilitate a dialogue between representatives from all parts of Jammu and Kashmir. They agreed that the future of Afghanistan should be the exclusive domain of the people of Afghanistan and it was recommended that all other countries refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of Afghanistan. Both sides must actively collaborate to facilitate the prosecution of terrorists being tried for acts of terrorism and also proposed that both countries must respect each other’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, and refrain from interference in each other’s internal affairs.
INDIA PAKISTAN DIALOGUE
The participants emphasized the need for continued bilateral engagement especially at official and functional levels. They hoped that the dialogue can be sustained until there is a satisfactory resolution of all outstanding issues. They welcomed the forthcoming meeting of the foreign ministers and expressed the hope that this would take the dialogue process forward. The participants felt that the two sides need to agree upon the form and structure of the dialogue. They noted that decisions already taken in earlier rounds of talks needed to be implemented fully. Other issues on which there is convergence must be brought to an early conclusion. To facilitate people-to-people exchanges, the participants felt that there was a need to relax visa restrictions particularly for artistes, media, academics, business 2
persons, students and civil society organizations. To build trust and confidence, they recommended exchanges of visits by military delegations especially at the level of service chiefs, and similar exchanges between intelligence agencies. The two governments should urgently take up the humanitarian issue of fishermen and other prisoners languishing in each other’s’ jails and find workable compassionate solutions.
JAMMU AND KASHMIR
The participants strongly supported a comprehensive process to build sustained peace and reconciliation between India and Pakistan. They believed that a sustained dialogue between New Delhi and Islamabad, including on Jammu and Kashmir, was required to ensure lasting peace. They recommended that New Delhi and Islamabad should facilitate a dialogue between representatives from all parts of Jammu and Kashmir, reflecting all shades of political opinion. The participants suggested an inter and intra-Jammu and Kashmir dialogue and considering activating the back-channel on Jammu and Kashmir. They called upon New Delhi and Islamabad to implement, in letter and spirit, the series of existing CBMs, particularly those relating to easing travel and trade between the two sides of the Line of Control. They also appealed to New Delhi and Islamabad to urgently initiate measures to build trust and confidence amongst the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Participants believed that progress made on various tracks of the dialogue must be shared with principal stakeholders within India and Pakistan, including major political parties.
AFGHANISTAN
The participants recognized that instability in Afghanistan would have serious implications for both Pakistan and India. Hence it was important for both countries to support reconciliation in Afghanistan which was essential for stability in the region. They agreed that the future of Afghanistan should be the exclusive domain of the people of Afghanistan. It was recommended that all other countries refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of Afghanistan. It was agreed that the only solution to the Afghan problem is a political one. There can be no military solution. Participants felt that the aspirations of the Afghan people for stability and sovereignty should be fulfilled as early as possible within an Afghan-owned multi-ethnic and broad-based framework. It was also agreed that a stable and peaceful Afghanistan has the potential of leading to greater cooperation between India and Pakistan. The absence of cooperation between the two countries carries the danger of aggravating bilateral tensions. Participants also suggested that India and Pakistan look for specific avenues of cooperation. It was noted that cooperation among India, Pakistan and Afghanistan has great potential. All three countries are members of SAARC, and should, therefore, be encouraged to consult one another on issues of mutual concern. The three countries should explore potential areas of cooperation which could include joint investment, energy cooperation, infrastructure development and trade, among others