There is a world beyond Pakistan

First of all, she is convinced of Europe8217;s economic stability. She points tothe drop in value of the Swedish kroner, the British pound and the USdollar. The countries that have joined the Euro club have shown nodepreciation. When the euro becomes the European currency from January 1,1999, it will be, on current showing, the world8217;s most stable currency. Thisstability can be exported to partners like India.

I suspect Waldner will not be quite eloquent on the theme at the formalmeeting with the troika. After all, she will have to be sensitive to thepresence at the table of the British representative whose views on the eurowould be substantially different.

But none of it detracts from the collective European clout. After all, thetotal business with Europe is in excess of 21 billion, making Europe ourlargest trading partner.

The major political theme for the troika will be the nuclear question. Onthis theme the trio will speak in one voice at the formal meeting, but theremay be differences in nuances when the three interact with us bilaterally.In the formal meeting there will be the expected demand that: a We make aformal commitment to refrain from further nuclear weapons testing by signingthe CTBT. b To announce a willingness on a moratorium on producing fissilematerial. c Abide by missile technology control regime. d Not to deploymissiles with nuclear warheads.

The Austrian leader told me that there was general appreciation on India8217;sconstructive participation in the ongoing fissile materialcut-off-negotiations FM-CT. In discussions with the troika, the Indianside will offer clarifications on the conditions under which an FMCT can besigned.

The troika will be interested in all that has transpired between India andPakistan in recent weeks. There is universal appreciation of India8217;sposition that Indo-Pak issues will be most amenable to a solution only in abilateral context.

It would be foolish to deny that the process being made on the JaswantSingh-Strobe Talbott track on the one hand and Shamshad AhmadStrobe Talbotttrack on the other has had a bearing on the Indo-Pak dialogue. But effortsmade by Brajesh Mishra in containing the post-Pokharan da-mage in variousEuro-pean capitals also deserve appreciation.

The New Delhi-Islamabad-Washingt-on triangle maybe the strongest onefocusing on South Asia, but each one of the European capitals has a keeninterest in the developments, as well an interest which the troika willarticulate. Kashmir, of course, will be brought in, accompanied by theusual protestations: 8220;We are willing to help but only if the two sides askus8221;. There will be appreciation for the toning down of public rhetoric onboth sides.

Will India be willing to accept an increase in the number of internationalobservers on both sides of the LoC? Reduce the size of its forces inKashmir? Accept a thinning of forces, both Indian and Pakistani, along theLine of Control? These questions will be asked. The Indian side will beinformed how various European capitals have already told Pakistan that itmust eschew any use of military force in or near Kashmir, that Islamabadmust stop providing support to insurgents operating in Kashmir.

One of our fundamental failings is boundless self-absorption. In foreignpolicy terms, this translates itself into our obsession with Pakistan andKashmir. Nations, like individuals, like others to take an interest in theiraffairs.

There are a whole range of issues that Europe is at the moment absorbed in.War clouds are looming once again over the Gulf, so soon after theIsraeli-Palestinian peace process was placed on the tracks. In fact, thethreat of air strikes against Baghdad follows a similar threatening build-upagainst Belgrade barely a fortnight ago.

The irony is that Austria, the president of the European Union and a nationadjacent to former Yugoslavia, is not even a member of NATO which threatenedthe air strikes. How does Austria view NATO? Will the eastward expansion ofNATO leave out Austria as a pacifist haven? The Balkan tragedy impactsmostly on Europe, but it was American diplomacy which doused the flames onthe Bosnian as well as the Kosovo crisis. Does Europe feel left out?The global economic crisis has caused Europe to cast eyes on India as aregion of stability. What special links can be forced on this basis?

These are only some of the issues on which ideas can be exchanged andfollowed up later through the usual diplomatic channels. Only when we areinterested in the world will the world engage us on subjects other than theroutine incantation on Kashmir, Pakistan and the nuclear issues.