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 | Havana: All hype, little hope Our Correspondent There was a time when policy-makers, eggheads and sundry intellectuals used to wax eloquent about the various aspects of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). After the Cold War, questions about its relevance were raised. It was with such a ring of skepticism surrounding NAM that its summit was held at Havana. On the face of it, the Havana Declaration seems to be a stamp of confirmation by the 118-nation grouping on India’s stand on terrorism. NAM has expressed its total opposition to terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It has urged nations to combat the menace. There is section in the declaration that would cause discomfiture to Pakistan; it pertains to the terrorist groups, including the Pak-created Taliban. According to the NAM document, the Taliban is recuperating in the southern and eastern parts of Afghanistan. It is an open secret that the Taliban, and other jihadi outfits, receive support from the Pakistani power structure. Further, the document said, it is a matter of concern that the efforts of the international community to fight terrorism are being undermined as forces of destablisation continue to receive y support, protection and shelter. That the Pakistani establishment is not amused becomes evident from press reports that it objected to the wording of the Havana Declaration. This despite the fact that the declaration did not name Pakistan as a source of terror. ,br>The most important question, however, is: what does all this lead to? There have been solemn declarations in the past about many an important issue; but, more often than not, noble sentiments and poignant rhetoric did not translate into meaningful action. Apart from the Havana Declaration, there was also considerable hype about the maybe-may-not-be dialogue between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf. Musharraf said that his talks with Singh on the sidelines of the NAM summit were “successful” and “augured” well for resolving bilateral issues, including the Kashmir problem. The two countries have decided to set up a joint anti-terrorism institutional mechanism and agreed to resume the foreign secretary-level talks soon. After an hour-long meeting between the two leaders, the two sides emphasised that the peace process must be maintained and its “success was important” for both the countries and future of the region. But is Pakistan willing to move in a direction that could resolve anything? According to Musharrag, “The road forward is the willingness to discuss and resolve the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.” In short, it remains obsessed with Kashmir, ignoring or sidelining the real issue of cross-border terrorism and the mushrooming of jihadi groups on its soil. No result can come out unless Pakistan sheds its obsession. Posted on : 9/24/2006 Mail this article to your friend |