"A dialogue is always desirable, but there must be some basis for it," says former foreign secretary T.N. Kaul. "If theres some basis to conclude that talks will be fruitful, that therell be some improvement in bilateral ties, we should talk. But as long as Pakistan declares political, moral and diplomatic support to militants operating in Kashmir, how can we talk?" Precisely what external affairs minister Jaswant Singh told Asiaweek in a recent interview. "India was the initiator of the Delhi-Lahore (bus diplomacy) process, which I believe was path-breaking. But our neighbour decided to turn the bus towards Kargil.... Thereafter Pakistan has slipped into internal convulsion and is yet to settle down from the consequences of the coup. Were not averse to the dialogue process; we remain committed to it. But for that a proper environment has to be created. The least we expect is that this daily invocation of jehad stops. Unless Pakistan sheds this compulsive hostility, how are we to move forward?"