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Inderfurth praises PM's invitation

The former point man for South Asia in the United States government has said imperatives for peace require the kind of bold and courageous moves that Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has made by inviting Pakistani military leader General Pervez Musharraf for talks to alleviate bitter differences between New Delhi and Islamabad.

Karl F Inderfurth, former assistant secretary of state for south Asia, while acknowledging that Vajpayee's invitation was a surprising about-face by India after denouncing Musharraf -- considered the architect of the Kargil incursion -- for nearly two years, said, "Sometimes, dramatic departures are necessary to pursue peaceful initiatives."

In an interview with India Abroad, Inderfurth, who will soon become a professor when he begins teaching graduate-level courses on south Asia at George Washington University, said he believed "the desire on the part of Vajpayee and Foreign Minister [Jaswant] Singh, to engage Pakistan at the highest level is the only way in which they can determine the seriousness of the Musharraf government in wanting to pursue a peaceful resolution of differences between the two countries."

Thus, "I think that recognition has moved them in the direction of making this invitation", he added.

According to Inderfurth, the invitation to Musharraf was yet another tangible manifestation of "Vajpayee's commitment to finding a new direction for India and Pakistan relations".

"He has tried before and hopefully this time it will move in a direction that will be sustainable over the long run," Inderfurth said.

He recalled that in Vajpayee's case, "this is a continuation of a course that he has embarked on before and where he continues to look for some avenue toward a peaceful reconciliation between India and Pakistan, and I am encouraged by the Pakistani government's positive response."

"General Musharraf has said on many occasions that he is prepared to meet anytime at any place at any level. Well, that time has arrived," Inderfurth noted.

While eschewing comment and saying he can't speak for the Bush administration, when asked if he believed the US had exerted any pressure on New Delhi to restart the dialogue with Islamabad, Inderfurth said, "I do believe there is a high degree of continuity in terms of US government interest in the region. Clearly, there have been several high-level meetings that have already taken place between US and Indian officials, so early into the new administration and of course, Foreign Minister [Abdul] Sattar [of Pakistan] will be here soon for meetings with Secretary of State [Colin] Powell."

"So it's clear that the high-level engagement that was initiated under the Clinton administration is continuing into the Bush administration and I am extremely pleased about that," said Inderfurth, a protagonist in the resurrection of Indo-US ties after the dive it took in the aftermath of India's May 1998 Pokhran nuclear weapons tests.

He predicted that the US and the world community would certainly be encouraging "if once again a hand reaching across the table can be extended" by India and Pakistan.

Inderfurth reminisced about how "during my tenure, I saw it at Male with Prime Minister [Inder Kumar] Gujral and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharief, and then later, of course, with bus diplomacy with Prime Minister Sharief and Prime Minister Vajpayee."

"This will be the latest attempt at the highest level to extend a hand of peace and reconciliation and let's hope this time it lasts," he added.

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