Media Briefing by Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran on the Visit of President Musharraf
Shyam Saran: Let me begin from what happened this morning. As you know, President Musharraf and Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh began the day today with the inauguration of the final ODI at Ferozeshah Kotla grounds. They were introduced to the two teams. Thereafter, for about an hour or so they watched the match. We then shifted to Hyderabad House where talks were held between the two sides. We began with talks at which some delegation members were present. From the Indian side, Minister of Defence Shri Pranab Mukherjeeji, our Railway Minister Shri Lalu Prasad Yadavji, our External Affairs Minister was also present. Our Minister for Commerce and Industry Shri Kamal Nathji was also there at the meeting. President Musharraf was accompanied by his Foreign Minister and other members of the delegation.
During these talks, the Prime Minister and President Musharraf reviewed the progress that had been made in our relations so far. I must say that the very positive and forward-looking atmosphere which was already evident both on the eve of the visit as also during the speeches which were made last evening at Prime Minister’s dinner in honour of President Musharraf, that positive tone, was maintained throughout the talks.
Prime Minister welcomed the fact that during the past year and a half there had been a very significant change in the relationship between the two countries. There was a transformation in terms of the public mood in the two countries. He said that as Prime Minister of India he was prepared to travel the road towards lasting peace between the two countries. In reviewing the relationship, he went back to the Joint Statement which was made on January 6, 2004, particularly the assurance contained therein that no part of the territory under the control of Pakistan would be used for any terrorist activity against India. He said that this assurance opened up new opportunities for improvement of relations between the two countries, and taking this relationship forward, and that is precisely what had happened.
He mentioned that it was the responsibility of our two countries to ensure that this positive movement in our relations, the positive ambience which had been created in our relations, is not thwarted by the activities of terrorist elements. He welcomed the fact that the terrorist attack on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service was condemned by Pakistan. This was just the kind of activity which can mar the ongoing peace process between the two countries, and hence the great importance of our controlling this particular aspect, that is, the activities of terrorist groups.
While we have seen forward movement in our relations, Prime Minister also conveyed that he was aware that there are difficulties that need to be overcome. So, we do not minimize those difficulties. But he put across in his talks his own vision of what he looks at the future of South Asia. He said that if one goes to other parts of the world, we see countries coming together, the economic and commercial prospects of regions improving because they are cooperating with one another. He suggested that if in South Asia, India and Pakistan as the two largest countries, as the two largest economies, if they were to join hands together, brought their creative energies together - after all the peoples of the two countries are extremely talented, we have resources - it is possible for us to transform the economic prospects of South Asian region as a whole so that it becomes also a dynamic pole in terms of economic prosperity of the Asian region and the world as a whole. He also conveyed that in his view this was eminently possible and this is the direction in which he would like to take the relationship between the two countries.
We were very happy to note that President Musharraf not only responded very positively to what Prime Minister had to say but shared his vision of the two countries focusing their energies on improving the livelihood of their peoples, of synergising their energies, so that there is common prosperity, shared prosperity between the two countries.
We also discussed, of course, the issue of Jammu and Kashmir. In this connection, the Prime Minister pointed out that while the redrawing of boundaries was not something that was possible, but anything that could bring the peoples on the two sides together – whether it is in terms of increased transportation linkages; greater traffic of peoples across the border and the Line of Control; cross-LoC, cross-border trade between the two countries; encouraging across-the-spectrum contact between people – would help the process along which would create the ambience so that at sometime in the future the more complex problems could be addressed successfully.
President Musharraf, while stressing the importance of addressing the Jammu and Kashmir issue, agreed that the confidence-building process between the two countries had made a lot of progress. This is a process which should be continued, should be intensified, and that while we need not impose any deadlines or timelines, the more important thing was that we should be addressing whatever outstanding differences there are between the two countries.
There were a number of specific issues that were touched upon during these talks. For example, some of the proposals that have been put forward like the link between Khokhrapar and Munabao across Rajasthan and Sindh. As you know, we had made a pledge in Parliament that from our side this link would be ready to be operationalised by October 2 this year. President Musharraf mentioned that perhaps that deadline may not be feasible but he would ensure that this link became operational by December 2005.
On the economic side it was agreed that the Joint Commission that had already existed between India and Pakistan - and which I think has not met since the late 80s, since 1989 - should be revived. It was agreed that it should meet at an early date. So, this would provide an umbrella within which a number of economic and trade related issues that the two countries have been talking about, we can take them forward in a much more focused manner.
As you know, we also have Joint Business Council that is between the private sectors of the two countries. It was agreed that the work of this Business Council should be further intensified.
As I mentioned to you, Commerce and Industry Minister was there. He referred to the establishment of the Joint Study Group at the Commerce Secretary level between the two countries which had already held its first meeting in February this year. This could be a mechanism to discuss promotion of trade between the two countries.
Reference was made to some of the obstacles which may be there to take the trading relationship forward. For example, the apprehension that the business community in Pakistan has about some non-tariff barriers or high tariff barriers that India imposes. We have said that, in fact, there are very few barriers that are there for this trade and we are prepared to sit down together with Pakistan and if there are any such barriers we are prepared to remove them.
In the context of developing our economic and commercial relations, the two leaders also discussed the important of transport linkages, infrastructure. In that connection, the possibility of opening more routes for trade between the two countries was discussed. This is something which will require more detailed discussion in the future. But, again I would like to stress here that the approach on both sides were very positive, was very forward-looking, a willingness to look at all these particular aspects of taking our relationship forward.
During the meeting we also conveyed to the Pakistan President that 156 Pakistani fishermen are to be released on the 19th of April. There are another 136 civilian prisoners who will be also released as soon as their travel documents have been received from the Pakistani side. The two leaders also agreed that as a humanitarian measure, if there are people who innocently stray across the border or the LoC, then we should in fact hand them over without too much ceremony on either side.
In the context again of developing our trade and economic relationship, Prime Minister also stressed the great benefits which could accrue both to India and Pakistan, if we were able to open the traditional transit routes through each other’s countries. He mentioned the fact that transit routes, for example, to Central Asia, to the Gulf, if normal flow of trade could be possible through these routes this would bring benefit not only to India and Pakistan but to the region of South Asia as well as to Central Asia and the Gulf. This was something that leaders of India and Pakistan should be looking at.
In this context the pipeline was also mentioned. It was agreed that this was a worthwhile project to pursue. In this context it was agreed that we would remain untouched with one another and engage in further discussions in order to realize this project.
I would also like to mention here that at the end of the talks, Prime Minister presented to President Musharraf a fine painting of the haveli in Delhi where President Musharraf was born and was brought up for the first few years of his life. This was accepted with great delight and pleasure by the Pakistani President.
I will stop here and I will be open to questions from your side.
Question: (In Hindi inaudible, about the CBMs in J&K)…