NEW DELHI: Indian and Pakistani foreign ministers hailed a "new era" in ties between the two countries on Wednesday and agreed to fight terrorism and boost trade and travel, a step forward in reducing tension in the world's most dangerous region. Peace talks between Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna and Hina Rabbani Khar, were surprisingly positive, but analysts cautioned in raising hopes until there was progress on resolving the status of occupied Kashmir and eliminating cross-border militancy.
"This is indeed a new era of bilateral co-operation between the two countries," Khar told the media after two and half-hours of talks in New Delhi, standing next to Krishna. Peace across the heavily militarised frontier between India and Pakistan is crucial for the United States to draw-down troops and stabilise Afghanistan without sparking off a proxy war between New Delhi and Islamabad in that country.
Expectations of a breakthrough in talks any time soon remain modest given the fact that neither country has yet to take significant steps to normalise relations, such as withdrawing large numbers of troops from the border. But the fact the rivals keep talking, and agreeing to small steps such as efforts to improve the lives of those living in the divided Kashmir region, indicate that neither side wants to slide back towards conflict.
"The fact that there is no train wreck is a positive augury," said Uday Bhaskar, director of strategic think-tank National Maritime Foundation in New Delhi. Foreign affairs expert Hasan Askari Rizvi said the two sides had skirted confrontation over the most controversial issues dogging ties for years, such as terrorism and Kashmir, and had been able to conclude the talks on a positive note.
"They haven't entered the minefield. They stayed out and they made a good statement," Rizvi said. Importantly, they agreed to work more closely to fight militancy, which has plagued both countries, and to bring to justice perpetrators of militant attacks. It was unclear what these steps were and analysts cautioned against any quick result given the deep mistrust between each country's intelligence services as well as armed forces. "We have agreed that terrorism poses a continued threat to peace and security and reiterate the firm and undiluted commitment of our two countries to fight and eliminate this scourge in all forms," Krishna said.
"We have also agreed the need to strengthen co-operation in counter-terrorism to bring those responsible for terror crimes to justice." The United States has also stepped up efforts to bridge the divide between the neighbours, coming at a time when ties between Washington and Islamabad have soured over the US raid that killed al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
Krishna said the two countries had agreed to ease travel restrictions, boost bus services frequency and double the number of days goods could be traded across a United Nations-drawn Line of Control dividing Kashmir between them. "I can confidently say our relations are on the right track," he said.