In Beijing last month, US deputy secretary of state Richard Armitage said: "We'll continue to consult closely with the Chinese...our involvement in South Asia." He described the Sino-Pakistan strategic nexus as a "historical relationship".
America therefore is protecting its ties with China while meddling in Kashmir. The same China that illegally transfers nuclear technology to Pakistan.
Yossef Bodansky, director, Task Force on Terrorism of the US Congress, wrote: "The Islamist terrorism campaign...is intensified because of the People's Republic of China. However, its close allies—Pakistan and Iran—bear the brunt of the sponsorship of terrorist escalation...Beijing urged Islamabad to escalate the subversion of eastern India...the isi was providing support to Maoists on behalf of China."
What could be the Sino-American consensus on South Asia? First, to defuse Kashmir by making the LoC an international border. Secondly, to consolidate China's "historical relationship" with Pakistan as a permanent dagger at India's throat. Lastly, to make South Asia a market to be exploited by both America and China. In short, allow China to become the big brother in South Asia.
If, as speculated, Musharraf supports the LoC becoming an international border, he does it to promote this scenario. So does Farooq when he says forget Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. So does Yashwant Sinha when he says develop saarc and ignore the dispute with Pakistan. So do Nepal's Maoists when they urge India, Bangladesh and Nepal to become a confederation, ignoring Pakistan. The government is searching for a Kashmir solution through dialogue. Dialogues do not produce solutions. Statesmen produce solutions. They then seek dialogue to implement them.
It is time the government unilaterally offers self-determination to all segments of undivided Kashmir with the option of independence on the precondition that India, Pakistan and Kashmir have joint defence and a common market. Then wait for Pakistan to succumb to Kashmiri pressures. Or wait for it to disintegrate under the weight of its own contradictions. But that would require independent thinking and courageous statesmanship. Not submission to foreign dictation.
Will you tell us what we want, sir,
Will you tell us what is right?
There's a crisis that does haunt, sir—
Can't you push it out of sight?
