Domestic turmoil overshadows India-Pakistan talks
(Recasts with joint statement)
By Y.P. Rajesh
NEW DELHI, Oct 18 (Reuters) - India and Pakistan reaffirmed their commitment to a nearly four-year military truce on Thursday as they launched a new series of peace talks that are expected to achieve little due to domestic political pressures.
Top officials of the South Asian rivals discussed moves to boost trust on conventional security issues on the first day and are due to review nuclear security measures on Friday.
They are scheduled to hold talks again on Monday during the second meeting of a joint counter-terrorism panel, formed last year as part of their larger peace process.
"The two sides reiterated their commitment to uphold the ceasefire," a joint statement said, referring to a truce agreed in late 2003 after the nuclear-armed neighbours came close to the brink of what would have been their fourth war.
"Consultations continued with the aim of strengthening the ongoing process of confidence-building in the conventional field," it said.
The talks are being held at a time when governments in both countries have been weakened by local politics.
Pakistan has witnessed political turmoil for a large part of this year with President Pervez Musharraf battling legal and political challenges amid doubts over his future.
Islamist militants have also rallied against his rule and stepped up violent attacks and there is speculation he might invoke emergency powers or martial law if the Supreme Court blocks him from being re-elected as president.
On Thursday, former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto ended eight years of self-imposed exile and returned home to contest national elections that are expected to give a new twist to the country's roller-coaster politics.
In India, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government has also been under pressure. A landmark nuclear deal with Washington has been put on ice due to pressure from the government's communist allies.
The dialogue between the states has, however, reduced tensions, helped maintain a military truce, led to a fall in militant violence in Kashmir -- at the heart of 60 years of hostile relations -- and boosted cultural, sporting and transport links.
But it has made slow progress toward resolving the central territorial dispute over Kashmir and failed to end a bitter confrontation over the Siachen glacier in Kashmir. "I don't see any special significance to these talks because the crucial issues like Kashmir and Siachen, they are still unresolved," said Ershad Mahmud of Islamabad's Institute of Policy Studies, referring to the latest dialogue. (Additional reporting by Augustine Anthony in Islamabad)
