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India, Pak agree to "open new chapter" in relations

C K Arora, J B Celestine in New York

India and Pakistan have agreed to make a new beginning and work at re-establishing economic, trade and cultural links ruptured in the wake of the 1965 war over Kashmir.

After a 90-minute meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee told a crowded press conference in New York yesterday that ''they had decided to open a new chapter in Indo-Pak co-operation.''

He announced a series of measures to normalise relations between the two countries. These included relaxation of visa rules, introduction of direct bus-service between New Delhi and Lahore, resumption of rail and road links between Manubau in Rajasthan and Khokhrapar in Pakistan and restoration of a hot line between the two prime ministers.

In addition, they agreed to order an immediate stoppage of firing along the Line of Control in Kashmir and also put an end to hostile propaganda against each other, particularly by their official media.

Vajpayee said Pakistan had made an offer to sell its surplus power to India and that the offer had been accepted. Officials of the two countries would meet soon to work out the deal, he said.

The prime minister said that both countries had agreed to establish closer co-operation in other economic sectors as well. However, he did not specify the areas he had in mind.

He said India and Pakistan had also decided to step up cultural relations, and said he hoped a large number of artistes would be able to exchange visits, fostering better understanding at the people-to-people level.

When a Pakistani correspondent asked about the prospects of India and Pakistan signing a defence pact, Vajpayee, quoted Jawaharlal Nehru who had once replied the question saying, ''Defence against whom?''

Vajpayee said there was no need for such a pact. ''Let us live like good neighbours having friendly relations,'' he said.

The prime minister, who made an unscheduled appearance at the official press briefing, said he had talks with Nawaz Sharief in a ''very friendly and cordial atmosphere.'' Many Pakistani and American journalists were also present.

Vajpayee took exception to a Pakistani journalist inquiring about the ''sad plight of Muslims in India''. Raising his voice, he said, ''India is a secular country where every citizen is treated on an equal footing. We have a written Constitution guaranteeing fundamental rights. We are a functioning democracy in which the opposition is very vigilant.''

Earlier, the two prime ministers issued a joint statement directing their foreign secretaries to resume their high-level dialogue that was stalemated last year after Pakistan stressed on what it called the ''core issue (Kashmir),'' stating it would deal with all other contentious bilateral issues later.

They reaffirmed their common belief that an environment of durable peace and security was in the supreme interest of India and Pakistan, and the region as a whole.

They expressed their determination to renew and re-invigorate their efforts to secure such an environment. They agreed that the peaceful settlement of all outstanding issues, including Jammu and Kashmir, was essential for this.

Later, the two foreign secretaries -- K Raghunath of India and Shamshad Ahmed of Pakistan met and decided on the schedule of meetings to discuss nine subjects agreed upon, including Jammu and Kashmir, peace and security, confidence building measures, Siachen, Wullar Barrage (Tulbul navigation project), economic and commercial co-operation, liberalisation of travel facilities and friendly exchanges in various fields.

The two most important issues bedevilling the relationship between the two countries -- peace and security and Jammu and Kashmir -- will be taken up for discussion in separate meetings from October 15 to 18. The remaining six contentious issues are likely to be taken up in the first half of November in New Delhi.

UNI

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