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Cook may endorse Clinton's view of J&K

Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi

The British foreign secretary Robin Cook arrived in New Delhi on a four-day official visit on Saturday amidst hopes that his country's "new perspective" on cross-border terrorism would help focus the spotlight on Pakistan's role in Jammu and Kashmir.

"We are hoping that during his meeting with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee the issue of cross-border terrorism will figure," said a joint secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs.

Cook during his last visit in 1997, which came immediately after India carried out its nuclear explosions, had failed to defuse the tension between the two countries.

This time, however, the atmosphere is more conducive to holding talks.

Foreign affairs analyst Commander Uday Bhaskar said the Cook visit would mainly focus on the 'India-UK round table' that has been constituted under the chairmanship of K C Pant, deputy chairman, Planning Commission. The first meeting would be jointly inaugurated by Cook and External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh.

Commander Bhaskar was confident that "the issue of cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir will crop up in the talks." He also said that the British perspective would not be insensitive to the Indian considerations on the matter.

The United Kingdom, which has largely followed Washington's example on foreign policy matters in South Asia, probably sees India in a new light following President Bill Clinton's five-day visit.

Clinton had not only praised India's restraint in Jammu and Kashmir in the face of grave provocation, but had also pointedly told General Pervez Musharraf that there could be no military solution to the Kashmir issue.

The UK seems to have taken note of these developments.

"We are hopeful that talks with the British dignitary will cause a change on his country's perception of Jammu and Kashmir," an MEA joint secretary said.

Cook will also meet Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Murasoli Maran and the prime minister's principal secretary Brajesh Mishra.

Before leaving London for New Delhi, Cook had pointed out that he was looking forward to his Indian visit.

" Indo-British relations are in robust health. We have a modern partnership. Both our countries are adapting to the many changes in the 21st century. I am keen to see for myself some of the ways in which India is rising to the challenges presented by globalisation and the emergence of knowledge-based economy," Cook said.

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