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April 12, 2012

More Progress on Kashmir?

More baby steps toward reconciliation for India and Pakistan: Today India’s top diplomat offered to talk to Islamabad about Kashmir, the most contentious issue between the two countries. Indian Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai told the WSJ that India “would be happy” to reopen talks on the disputed territory, which both countries claim in its entirety. Last week, Pakistani Prime Minister Asif Ali Zardari visited India, and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is expected to make a trip to Islamabad soon. Talks on trade cooperation are also slowly progressing.

These are signs that the atmosphere in South Asia may be improving, but it shouldn’t be forgotten that the same intractable problems continue to block real progress. The only tangible step toward resolving border issues so far has been the countries’ alleged willingness to establish a national border in Sir Creek, a marshy area that separates Pakistani Sindh from Indian Gujarat—and this is really just the tiniest of steps.

We will continue to watch this story, because it could have enormous ramifications in South Asian geopolitics, as well as in Afghanistan.

Posted in Asia, India, Pakistan & Afghanistan, Politics, Quick Takes
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  • chiello marco

    I hope in South Asia may be a really will to improve the atmosphere and to strike a balance (political of course).

  • http://knownofold.blogspot.com J R Yankovic

    Does anyone have an idea what might be triggering this fairly recent outbreak of conciliatory talk? Might it be a sign that confessionalist politicians and religious extremists on both sides are beginning to weaken (or indeed have already been weakening for some time)? And if so, is there anything the US can do to advance these developments – and partic. in ways that might redound to the benefit of Afghanistan? Or, rather, are we safe in assuming that susceptibility to nudges or pressure of any kind from the US is an automatic kiss of death for any domestic politician in these countries?

    Just asking. I can’t say I know much about the exploitability of crises. But GOOD news of any kind – and all the more so in this volatile yet pivotal part of the world – seems like a terrible thing for bright US minds to waste.