Kargil helped build trust between India, US: Talbott

From his book, Engaging India: Diplomacy, Democracy and the Bomb, Talbott today chose to read out a portion from the chapter ‘‘Kargil to Blair House’’, which describes the meeting between former US president Bill Clinton and then Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

It was a meeting during which Clinton first talked about what Talbott referred to as a ‘‘bad statement’’ highlighting Pakistan’s sponsorship of terrorism in the then Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. He then went on to speak about Kashmir to break through any defence which Sharif may have offered for Pakistani troops violating the Line of Control.

Once the potential damage of such a statement dawned upon Sharif, the US President suggested a break so that the Pakistani delegation could consult among themselves. Clinton even called up former PM A.B. Vajpayee during the break to let him know that he was doing his best.

The break was also used to prepare, what Talbott called ‘‘the good statement’’ which spoke of Pakistan making efforts to restore the LoC’s sanctity. While what followed is now part of recent history, Talbott particularly recounts the call he made to then External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh after the Clinton-Sharif meeting.

‘‘He (Singh) told me that some very bad things have happened with our neighbour (Pakistan) but something good that has happened between our two countries is trust,’’ said Talbott adding that his President had also felt the same way as he turned his gaze to Singh, who was among the audience today that had gathered to celebrate the book.

According to Talbott, Sharif may not have been actively involved in the planning of what happened in Kargil but it could be that he had ‘‘passive knowledge’’ of this operation. ‘‘This, I would say, would be the most likely of all options.’’

Talbott expressed hope that both India and Pakistan would view the possession and production of nuclear weapons in the context of having a ‘‘credible nuclear deterrent’’ and stop there.

And as has happened through his week-long tour of India, Talbott was faced yet again with a question on missile defence and the Next Steps in the Strategic Partnership (NSSP). This time while again making the point not to read too much into the NSSP, he said the document was ‘‘like turning a single page’’ in India-US ties.