RPCV James Rupert writes: Musharraf seeks Kasmir border deal with India



"President Pervez Musharraf pushed for a compromise settlement of the Kashmir conflict Tuesday, telling Indians in a televised interview that he is prepared to give up territorial claims in the 59-year-old conflict if India will reciprocate. Frustrated by what he says is the Indian government's slow response to his months-old proposals, Musharraf stepped up a media campaign in India by giving an interview to a prominent private channel, NDTV." Journalist James Rupert, head of Newsday's international bureau in Islamabad, Pakistan began his career abroad as a Peace Corps volunteer, teaching mechanics and welding in Morocco.

RPCV James Rupert writes: Musharraf seeks Kasmir border deal with India

Musharraf seeks border deal

BY JAMES RUPERT
Newsday Staff Writer

[Excerpt]

December 5, 2006, 11:36 PM EST
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- President Pervez Musharraf pushed for a compromise settlement of the Kashmir conflict Tuesday, telling Indians in a televised interview that he is prepared to give up territorial claims in the 59-year-old conflict if India will reciprocate.

Frustrated by what he says is the Indian government's slow response to his months-old proposals, Musharraf stepped up a media campaign in India by giving an interview to a prominent private channel, NDTV. But his appearance caused "scant ripples" in India's government, the Times of India newspaper reported. India says Musharraf has failed to halt violent attacks by Pakistan-based militants.

Musharraf has been laying out his ideas this fall in the Indian press and in his autobiography -- distributed in English in India -- in an attempt to reach over the head of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, analysts say. Singh's government is cautious about Musharraf's proposals, saying Pakistan continues to sponsor violent attacks in Kashmir and elsewhere in India.

Musharraf restated an "outside the box" proposal for both countries to jointly supervise an autonomous, demilitarized Kashmir. When Indian television news anchor Prannoy Roy asked, "So you are prepared to give up your claim to Kashmir?" Musharraf responded, "We will have to, yes, if this solution comes up."

"Musharraf understands the reach of the media very well" and "is pretty deft as a tactician," said Uday Bhaskar, a senior fellow at India's Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses. "The big 'but' in this is the issue of terrorism," he said.

Last week, India filed criminal charges against nine Pakistanis as well as 19 Indians in the July 11 bombings of commuter trains in Mumbai (Bombay) that killed at least 185 people. India's anti-terrorist police agency accused the Pakistani militant group Lashkar-i-Toiba (Army of the Pure) of organizing the attack. Although Musharraf formally banned the group in 2002, it continues many operations openly in Pakistan under the name Jamaat ud-Dawa (The Society of the Call).

Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: December, 2006; RPCV James Rupert (Morocco); Figures; Peace Corps Morocco; Directory of Morocco RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Morocco RPCVs; Journalism; Peace Corps Pakistan; Directory of Pakistan RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Pakistan RPCVs; Peace Corps India; Directory of India RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for India RPCVs

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