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Clinton's decision to visit Pakistan shows American pragmatism, say experts

ISLAMABAD: US President Bill Clinton's decision to visit Pakistan during his coming visit to South Asia speaks of American pragmatism, said diplomatic experts here on Sunday.

Pakistan is a US ally of long-standing and, Indian efforts notwithstanding, "the role Pakistan played in defeating Soviet aggression in Afghanistan has not been forgotten by influential circles in Washington," a top former diplomat, Najamuddin Sheikh, here said.

"Pakistan is too important a country to be ignored by the United States," he added.

Sheikh said the Indians had sought to prevent Clinton's visit to Pakistan, "primarily because they wanted to stave off pressure from America and international community to resume talks with Pakistan unconditionally."

He said: "It is a tribute to Pakistan's diplomatic efforts as much as to American pragmatism that Indian effort to prevent the visit is thwarted." When asked what chances he saw for resumption of talks between the two South Asia rivals, the former foreign secretary, Najmuddin Sheikh said he believed, both publically and privately, that Clinton would urge the two sides to resume dialogue. "The President will privately tell the Indians that the imposition of pre-conditions for the resumption of such dialogue is unacceptable," he added.

"It remains to be seen whether, apart from verbal exhortation, Clinton will exert some concrete pressure, namely making the development of economic and technical ties with India dependent on progress towards such a dialogue," he added.

Clinton's decision was a success of Pakistan's diplomacy and speaks of its geo-strategic and geo-political importance, Sheikh said.

The American interests and helping to resolve the issue which may rise as, 'nuclear flash point' cannot be achieved without discussion with both parties and with the people of Jammu and Kashmir, he said.

"However," he said, "Pakistan must not underestimate the extent of American concern regarding the situation in our region particularly on the issue of terrorism We must be prepared for some straight talk on the subject not because of international concern but because of our own internal need."

He said, he anticipated that if Pakistan were to take firm steps to improve, domestic situation such as revitalisation of the economy, the elimination of corruption and right-sizing of government and curbing rise of extremist elements, there would be automatic alleviation of international concerns. Particularly welcomed, in this respect, was this banning of display of weapons which appears to be preparation for the de-weaponisation of Pakistan society.

However, Clinton's decision to include Pakistan in his itinerary, Sheikh said, was not necessarily a moment for euphoria. The items that have been indicated on which President Clinton would be dwelling during his talks with Pakistani leaders "do not subject sufficient attention to the major issues confronting South Asia, namely the resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir."

Sheikh said it must be Pakistan's "endeavour to ensure that these subjects, as much as other American goals in the region, remain as focus of discussion both in Islamabad and New Delhi."

He said Clinton had sent strong message to Pakistan in the last year of his first term in office that during his second term, he would wish to visit South Asia to engage in a resolution of the only remaining major dispute bedeviling international relations and posing a major threat to regional and global peace.

Referring to the items the White House spokesman had identified, he said Pakistan itself needed to address the issues of terrorism, of regional strategic and nuclear restraint and of setting an appropriate timetable for the restoration of an elected democracy.

However, the world and the Americans must realise that resolution of major dispute would facilitate Pakistan's own efforts to resolve internal and regional problems, he said.

A retired Lt. General Kamal Matinuddin, appreciating Clinton's decision to visit Pakistan, said Pakistan should impress upon the President that without settlement of the Kashmir issue peace and security cannot be established in South Asia.

He castigated Indian attempt to prevent Clinton from visiting Pakistan to isolate the latter. He said India was frustrated by her failure to check the indigenous freedom struggle in occupied Kashmir.

Matin termed Clinton's decision as a success for Pakistan's diplomacy. He said Pakistan Ambassador in Washington Maleeha Lodhi and Pakistani Americans had played their role in persuading the President to include Pakistan in his South Asian tour.

He said, it was also in the interest of the US not to leave out Pakistan if it was interested to further its goal of non-proliferation and wanted to curb international terrorism. Matin said India would continue to reject the third party mediation but it had accepted this on many occasions in the past. He referred to the Indus Basin Treaty, Ran of Kutch and 1965 War in this regard.

He was sceptical about immediate resumption of stalled Indo-Pakistan dialogue despite Clinton's desire to see the resumption of talks.ÑAPP