India launches PR offensive in Geneva

Some G-8 nations, including Britain, continue to believe that the “source of the (India-Pakistan) differences is Kashmir.” In a statement to the House of Commons today, British PM Tony Blair urged both sides to “calm the situation down and resolve their differences.

“Mishra has gone to explain India’sposition on the Kargil conflict and take them into confidence about the situation. Since the issue may come up during the ongoing CD, at the Human Rights Commission and at the G-8 meeting in Germany, it was decided to send him to counter any adverse reactions first-hand,” the sources said.

Meanwhile, Foreign secretary K Raghunath briefed the heads of the European missions in town on Mishra’s visit as well as India’s continuing position that Pakistan must first vacate the armed intrusion across the LoC before any talks can be held with Islamabad.

Ministry sources admitted that the ongoing blitzkrieg meant that the distinction between “third-party mediation” on the Kashmir issue — a position that India has rejected for 50 years — and the current briefings on the Kargil conflict to the international community, had been reduced to a thin one. However, they added, New Delhi did not have “many options” at this point of time.

Pointing out the subtle difference between Kargil and Kashmir, the ministrysources stressed that the violation of the LoC was being discussed here. Nevertheless, the outpouring of support by the US, across Europe and Russia has greatly boosted the morale of the Government.

Russia today warned Pakistan not to try and alter the LoC, and asked it to withdraw its infiltrators. “We urge Islamabad to refrain from violating the well-known bilateral agreements, related to the alignment of the agreed LoC…Any attempts to change this line may lead to serious consequences…(The) withdrawal of armed groups and restoration of status quo ante would to a considerable extent contribute to a lowering of tension in the region,” a Russian foreign ministry statement said.

The world community, according to diplomats here, still wants India and Pakistan to talk, for fear that the current conflict may slip out of control and escalate into a nuclear war. Clinton, for example, has advised “restraint” by both sides, but along with the Europeans agrees that Pakistan must withdraw its forces fromIndian territory.

The G-8 meeting in Germany is being keenly watched in New Delhi, since it is not only expected to discuss the Kargil conflict, but also put out a definitive line on the crisis. The G-8 countries are the USA, UK, Canada, Italy, Japan, France, Germany and Russia.

Ministry sources hope that the G-8 heads will essentially reiterate the position established by their foreign ministers in Cologne, on June 9-10. Asked what New Delhi expected from the meeting, official sources said, “They (the G-8) have noted that the LoC has been violated on the Pakistan side. Our expectation is that the G-8 will, based on their recognition of the armed intrusion from the Pakistan side, understand that it is Pakistan’s responsibility to take the right steps to fully restore the status quo ante along the LoC.”

In its June 10 statement, under the section dealing with “regional issues,” the G-8 ministers had said: “We are deeply concerned about the continuing confrontation in Kashmir, following theinfiltration of militants across the LoC. We call upon India and Pakistan to respect the LoC, to work for an immediate cessation of the fighting and to return to the negotiating table in the spirit of the Lahore Declaration.”