India and Pakistan begin historic peace talks

Nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan began historic meetings today aimed at preparing the way for a sustained peace dialogue on Kashmir and other disputes that have kept them at loggerheads for decades.

Pakistan is keen to show quick progress during the three days of talks, which also are likely to cover confidence-building measures in the nuclear field - especially considering admissions of leaks of nuclear technology by the father of Pakistan’s nuclear programme.

The talks are the first real test of the two sides’ willingness to show flexibility on long-entrenched positions, such as the disputed Kashmir region - the cause of two of the countries’ three wars since their 1947 independence.

A “line of control” divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan, but both claim the territory in its entirety. More than 65,000 people have been killed in the conflict since 1989.

After coming close to fighting a fourth war in 2002, the two countries have moved to restore transport links and diplomatic ties. In November soldiers halted cross-border firing in Kashmir.

India is also set to embark on its first cricket tour of Pakistan since 1989 - a breakthrough for the two cricket-crazy nations.

“Pakistan is approaching these talks sincerely and earnestly. We hope that India would demonstrate matching reciprocity,” Pakistani foreign ministry spokesman Masood Khan said.

The two sides are likely to set up expert groups to discuss a dispute over the flow of water to Pakistan from the Wullar barrage in India’s Jammu-Kashmir state and fighting at the world’s highest battleground in Siachen, a glacier 18,000 feet high in the Himalayan territory.

With national elections due in India in April, no major decisions are expected by Indian prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s government during this round of talks in Islamabad. However, Vajpayee is expected to stay in power and pursue the peace process.

“We are going to start the process [of negotiations]...that will mean looking into modalities for the dialogue process and see what meetings should be organised in the next few months to keep up the dialogue on a sustained basis,” Indian foreign secretary Shashank, who uses only one name, told the Press Trust of India in New Delhi.

The Indian delegation, led by Arun Kumar Singh, a joint secretary in the Indian external affairs ministry, arrived in Pakistan yesterday. Singh is holding talks with his Pakistani counterpart, Jaleel Abbas Jilani, today and tomorrow to map out a plan for future dialogue.

The talks are to be wrapped up by Shashank during a meeting on Wednesday with Pakistani foreign secretary Riaz Khokar.