[sacw] SACW (07 July 01)
Harsh Kapoor
aiindex@mnet.fr
Fri, 6 Jul 2001 17:52:06 +0100
South Asia Citizens Wire
07 July 2001
http://www.mnet.fr/aiindex
----------------------------------------
[1.] As Pakistan and Indian heads of state prepare to meet, it's time
to follow the people to peace
[2.] Talking Peace in South Asia:
A proposal of some possible nuclear risk reduction
and confidence building agreements
for consideration at the July 2001 Pakistan-India Summit
-----------------------------------------
#1.
AS PAKISTAN AND INDIAN HEADS OF STATE PREPARE TO MEET, IT'S TIME TO
FOLLOW THE PEOPLE TO PEACE
Beena Sarwar
Pakistani painter Salima Hashmi relates a story about an art seminar
she participated in, organised by Japanese artists. She recalls the
hosts eyeing her and the Indian delegate with some apprehension as
they descended the hotel lift together. "They were obviously
wondering when hostilities would break out," she laughs. "We
reassured them and told them that if anything, we would be ganging up
against them - which we did, because of the colonial way they had
organised the event."
An Indian diplomat once confided that whenever he attends an
international seminar, he asks to room with a Pakistani. "We like the
same food, same music, speak the same language..." Even those serving
in the armed forces of India and Pakistan bond with colleagues across
the border. Senior retired officers, alumni of the RIMC military
academy in India, have since 1996 had at least three reunions in
India and in Pakistan - although retired military personnel, and even
their children, are not usually eligible for visas.
Cynics may dismiss such meetings as being easy for those who are no
longer in service. But their involvement is significant precisely
because it involves overcoming the indoctrination that is part of
serving in the armed forces. The desire for contact with colleagues
across the border is stronger than the indoctrination of years in
service and active combat against the 'enemy' country - many have
been decorated for valour while fighting against the other country.
Tellingly, the ban on even retired army officers visas remains in
place for those outside the ambit of group meetings. Waiving it for
special occasions reinforces the basic hypocrisies and inequities of
the system: ordinary people wanting to visit each other's countries
as individuals are prevented from doing so. That they want to do so
is obvious by the fact that all forms of transport crossing the
border go fully booked, even in times of conflict.
Since the formation of the Pakistan-India Peoples Forum for Peace and
Democracy, a private initiative that has been working for
people-to-people dialogue since 1995, hundreds of ordinary people
from both countries have come together, in Delhi, Lahore, Peshawar,
Calcutta, Bangalore. Visas are difficult to obtain, except for group
travellers with some influence.
The respective governments grudgingly facilitate the meetings by
granting visas and (usually) allowing border-crossing on foot (not
among the three 'approved' means of border-crossing: air, train and
since 1999, bus), a relaxation that allows Forum members, most of
whom pay their own way, to travel relatively cheaply.
International pressure may account for this cooperation but it surely
also has much to do with the politicians' own desire for peace - we
forget that they are, after all, people too. Locked in the rhetoric
of politics, they can't bring themselves to publicly take on
positions that they privately concede to regarding relations between
the two countries.
Any point of contact between an Indian and a Pakistan has potential
for bonding. Take the soldiers and guards posted at the border. At
Wagah, every sunrise and sunset is greeted by an aggressive
flag-raising and flag-lowering ceremony, the guards glaring at those
who try to wave to people on the other side. And yet, when there is
no audience and they are not performing this spectacle, the men talk
to each other, even share food and other items.
My Indian friend Barka Dutt, recounts with touching honesty her
experience of reporting at Kargil printed in the June issue of Himal
South Asian (www.himalmag.com). She talks about the Kargil war, "a
theatre of contradiction that embraced courage and fear, head and
heart. The very men who scoffed at your suggestion that the neurosis
in the India-Pakistan love-hate relationship may yet subside, would
in the next breath regale you with stories of bonding sessions with
the 'enemy' across the border." Like those of a Sardar earlier posted
as a commander at the Punjab border: "his counterpart across the
fence had smuggled him across the border one evening, whisked him
away in a car with tinted windows and given him the grand tour of
Lahore. In return, the Pakistani had wondered if his wife might one
day be smuggled across in the same way and taken shopping to the
saree boutiques of Amritsar. 'I couldn't return the favour,' the
Sardar said regretfully. Others piped in with similar anecdotes of
cigarettes and books shared at the post..."
Such bonding is not limited to those who have families on the other
side, or who share a common language or alma mater. I remember the
West Bengali student activist from Calcutta. Her family has They no
ties to the land that is now Pakistan - and yet she wept with emotion
when she came to Lahore for the first time, part of the women's 'bus'
delegation led by Nirmala Despande in the spring of 2000. Barkha and
I, listening to the woman after woman talk about what this visit
meant to her, had trouble keeping our own tears back. "Do we report,
or do we participate?" we asked each other. We ended up doing both.
By the end of the same meeting, an engineering student in Lahore who
was volunteering, had become friends with the younger participants.
He has no family, no ties in India, no partition baggage. In fact, he
confessed that until now, he had hated India and Indians. So what
made him volunteer? Curiosity, he said. He had never met an Indian
before. And now he knew that 'they' were people, just like 'us'. "I
don't agree with a lot of their policies," he added. "But at least we
can talk about our disagreements." There were tears on both sides as
he and his new friends said goodbye at the end of an intense three
days.
Not all interaction is emotional. The customs officials who make the
lives of travelers hell on the ironically (or prohetically) named
Samjhauta (Concilitation) Express that plies between Attari and
Lahore, have it all worked out. Friend and colleague Mazhar Zaidi
found that corrupt customs officials on both sides unhesitatingly
accept mutually untradeable 'enemy currency'. Apparently there is an
exchange afterwards, and the booty is shared to mutual benefit.
But just think of all the mutual benefits there would be if the
rulers of both countries actually started leading their people to
peace instead of hostility. Think, as Isa Daudpota, a friend in
Islamabad urges, of Pakistan and India as 'buddies'. In a recent
letter to various newspapers, he predicts: "Leaders of South Asia may
delay the reconciliation and friendship among their people, but it
will come!"
"To loosen up for the mid-July Musharraf-Vajpai meeting," he
suggests, "try dreaming a bit. Imagine a joint South Asian cricket
team, just as they have in the West Indies! This seems outlandish,
but the great Caribbean cricketers do it. Think of a common market
for this region. Think of students from Pakistan going South, rather
than North, to study information technology and many areas of science
and technology. We could have the incomparable Lata Mangeshkar in
Pakistan and the Indians can get Abida Parveen to sing down there
whenever they wish. Our agriculturists could learn from each other's
mistakes and be able to put a strong joint front against the Neem and
Basmati patent robbers who wish to deprive us of our traditional
resources."
Of course there is, as Isa points out, "the big stumbling block",
Kashmir - both the Pakistani and Indian
parts. "For a while, in the heat of July, let's think of Kashmiris as
just humans wishing to lead peaceful lives. Forget that they are
Hindus, Sikhs, Christians or Muslims. Let them be free to live as
they wish, and don't covet them and their land. If division is
necessary let that happen too. Do that soon - in July. Don't spend
years around roundtables getting fat on conference food."
At a conference in Islamabad last July, organised by The News, top
print and television journalists from the most powerful Indian and
Pakistani media organisations met face to face - barely a year after
Kargil. Throughout the formal as well informal interactions,
participants condemned the media's role in fueling hostilities
between their countries, and reiterated that in order for an
atmosphere to be created that could lead to peace, the media needs to
change how it covers the 'other'. After the closing dinner, General
Musharraf addressed the gathering then opened the floor for
questions. Bharat Bhushan, a senior Indian journalist muttered: "Not
a good move. All this goodwill will disappear." Sure enough, most
questions - from Indian and Pakistani journalists - were geared
towards extracting a response geared towards the next day's headlines
rather than promoting understanding.
But blame for misunderstandings and tensions cannot be laid at the
door of the media alone. The media does play an important role in
shaping perceptions, but they also have to 'report'. And there's not
much positive to report when it comes to politicians, who either keep
silent on the issue of relations with the other country, or use it as
a scapegoat for all their problems. And yet, privately, politicians
on both sides express a desire for peace and its ensuing economic
benefits for the entire region - and yet they keep silent in public.
It's time they followed the people in the quest for peace. Lift visa
restrictions, allow publications, music, and movies to be legally
marketed... The future is there for all to see. Do our leaders,
self-appointed or elected, have the vision and courage to make it
happen?
________
#2.
TALKING PEACE IN SOUTH ASIA
A PROPOSAL OF SOME POSSIBLE NUCLEAR RISK REDUCTION AND CONFIDENCE
BUILDING AGREEMENTS FOR CONSIDERATION AT THE JULY 2001 PAKISTAN-INDIA
SUMMIT
July 2001
Introduction
The May 1998 nuclear tests by India and Pakistan and their
development of ballistic missiles created grave new dangers for the
people of both countries. The February 1999 Lahore summit between
Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and India's Prime Minister
Atal Bihari Vajpayee was an important first effort to recognise these
new dangers. The Lahore Declaration committed both countries to "take
immediate steps for reducing the risk of accidental or unauthorised
use of nuclear weapons and discuss concepts and doctrines with a view
to elaborating measures for confidence building in the nuclear and
conventional fields, aimed at prevention of conflict".
The lack of progress over the past two years in meeting this
commitment makes the planned 14 July 2001 summit meeting between
Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf and Indian Prime Minister Atal
Bihari Vajpayee a particularly important opportunity to build on the
Lahore Agreement and begin talks and reach specific agreement on
limiting the threat of nuclear weapons in the region and initiating
nuclear disarmament, which is vital to a just and lasting peace in
South Asia.
The peace movements in India and Pakistan have a special role to play
in this process. Over the years, while the two governments have
stressed their differences and conflicts, the diverse civil society
organisations that make up the peace movements have struggled against
the pattern of animosity and military preparations on both sides,
warned of the nuclear danger, and sought to develop and deepen
contacts between citizens of the two countries and build a common
understanding based on a vision of a democratic, peaceful and
prosperous South Asia.
As peace activists with the Pakistan Peace Coalition (PPC) and the
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace (CNDP), we have jointly
drafted some possible treaties for the leaders of the two countries
to consider and sign at the forthcoming summit. The treaties identify
what we see as the most pressing dangers facing India and Pakistan,
highlight the key issues that need to be covered in negotiations, and
illustrate the form and content of the agreements that we believe can
be immediately adopted by the two governments. We have taken as our
constraint the commitments already made by our respective governments
and shown some of the specific agreements that are possible.
The agreements we propose are:
1. Agra Declaration
This reiterates the commitments made as part of the Lahore
Declaration, including settlement of the Kashmir dispute, and
agreement on nuclear risk reduction measures, the notification of
ballistic missile launches and easing of travel restrictions between
the two countries. It goes beyond the Lahore Declaration by
formalising the public commitments made by both India and Pakistan to
accede to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and the respective
moratoria on nuclear tests. The Agra Declaration also includes a
commitment to settling the Siachen Glacier dispute, and the
negotiation of a no war pact.
2. Treaty Between The Republic Of India And The Islamic Republic Of
Pakistan On Measures For Nuclear Risk Reduction
The Lahore Declaration by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Atal Bihari
Vajpayee commits both countries to "take immediate steps for reducing
the risk of accidental or unauthorised use of nuclear weapons and
discuss concepts and doctrines with a view to elaborating measures
for confidence building in the nuclear and conventional fields, aimed
at prevention of conflict."
The Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Foreign Secretaries as
part of the Lahore Agreement declares "The two sides are fully
committed to undertaking national measures to reducing the risks of
accidental or unauthorised use of nuclear weapons under their
respective control. The two sides further undertake to notify each,
other immediately in the event of any accidental, unauthorised or
unexplained incident that could create the risk of a fallout with
adverse consequences for both sides, or an outbreak of a nuclear war
between the two countries, as well as to adopt measures aimed at
diminishing the possibility of such actions, or such incidents being
misinterpreted by the other. The two side shall identify/establish
the appropriate communication mechanism for this purpose."
The key commitments of our proposed treaty are agreement to not
deploy nuclear weapons and to keep weapons disassembled and separated
by at least 50 kilometres from aircraft and ballistic missiles that
could be used to deliver them. It also requires them to establish
nuclear risk reduction centres to manage communications between the
two countries on nuclear risks and incidents. The risk reduction
centres are modelled on those established in a 1987 agreement between
the United States and Soviet Union.
3. Treaty Between The Republic Of India And The Islamic Republic Of
Pakistan On Notifications Of Launches Of Ballistic Missiles And
Space Vehicles
The Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Foreign Secretaries as
part of the Lahore Agreement includes the commitment to "provide each
other with advance notification in respect of ballistic missile
flight tests and [to] conclude a bilateral agreement in this regard."
While both sides now issue such notifications, there has been no
formal treaty.
Our proposed treaty draws upon the 1988 Ballistic Missile Launch
Notification Agreement between the United States and Soviet Union.
Due to the overlap in the technology involved and physical
characteristics, we add a requirement to provide information on space
launches.
4. No War Treaty Between The Republic Of India And The Islamic
Republic Of Pakistan
The no war pact had a long history. In 1949, India offered a no war
declaration to Pakistan and in 1950 Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru
offered Pakistan a no war pact. The offer was accepted by Prime
Minister Liaquat Ali Khan provided there was a timetable for settling
all outstanding disputes. More recently, in 1981, General Zia offered
a no war pact to India, which was refused. Mrs. Gandhi subsequently
declared that even without a no-war pact, India would not attack
Pakistan first. General Musharraf repeated the offer at the United
Nations Millennium Summit in September 2000. Pakistan has not however
offered a clear definition of what it considers as an act of war.
Our proposed agreement commits both sides to never wage war against
the other, and seeks to define acts that would violate this pact. It
forbids military incursions across the border, support for
cross-border militancy, sabotage, blockades, disruption of river
waters, among other things. It also establishes an Adjudication
Commission, whose ruling will be binding, for settling disputes over
actions that one side may consider violations of the no war pact.
5. Treaty Between The Republic Of India And The Islamic Republic Of
Pakistan On The Establishment Of A De-Militarised Zone In The Area
Of The Siachen Glacier
There have been protracted negotiations on ending the fighting over
the Siachen Glacier area. In 1989, agreement was reportedly reached
"to work towards a comprehensive settlement based on redeployment of
forces to reduce the chances of conflict, avoidance of the use of
force and determination of future positions on the ground so as to
conform with the Simla Agreement and to ensure durable peace in the
Siachen Area". In November 1992, an agreement on Siachen was said to
have been reached that envisaged "mutual withdrawal of troops from
new positions, and the creation of a "zone of complete disengagement"
and the delineation of a "zone of peace and tranquillity". The
process broke down before a formal treaty could be agreed to.
Our proposed agreement demarcates the Siachen Glacier area and
removes all armed forces from it. It also requires both sides to
clean up the area and restore it to its natural state.
6. Agreement Between The Republic Of India And The Islamic Republic
Of Pakistan On
Easing The Visa And Travel Restrictions
This draws on the India-Pakistan agreement on Cultural Co-operation
of 31 December 1988 for promoting and developing relations and
understanding in the realms of art, culture, archaeology, education,
mass media and sports commits the two countries to "encourage and
facilitate exchange in the field of art, culture and mass media,...
to provide facilities and scholarships to students and research
scholars,... facilitate exchange of artists, poets writers and
musicians,.. visits of sports teams" etc. The agreement also
establishes a India-Pakistan Joint Commission to implement the
agreement.
Our proposed agreement envisages opening visa offices in many cities
in both countries and the right to a visa at the port of entry for
accredited journalists, teachers, students, artists and
sports-persons and senior citizens. It also proposes increasing
border crossing points, more frequent cross-border transport services
and a new ferry service between Mumbai and Karachi.
The treaties given here are not intended as a substitute for meeting
our shared goal of nuclear disarmament in South Asia and world-wide.
They are meant as indicators of possible and feasible first steps
towards nuclear disarmament; they seek to normalise relations, reduce
the risk of war, particularly nuclear war, create possibilities for
co-operation in areas of mutual benefit, and create the opportunity
for the individual and collective development and empowerment of the
peoples of South Asia.
We make these suggestions to our fellow citizens in India and
Pakistan and our governments in the hope of furthering peace in our
two countries.
Z. Mian and A.H. Nayyar (members of the Pakistan Peace Coalition)
Sandeep Pandey and M.V. Ramana (members of the Campaign for Nuclear
Disarmament and Peace, India)
AGRA DECLARATION
The Prime Minister of the Republic of India and the President of the
Islamic Republic of Pakistan:-
In keeping with the spirit of the Lahore Declaration issued on
February 21, 1999;
Sharing a vision of peace and stability between their countries, and
of progress and prosperity for their people;
Convinced that durable peace and development of harmonious relations
and friendly co-operation will serve the vital interests of the
people of the two countries, enabling them to devote their energies
for a better future;
Recognising that the nuclear dimension of the security environment of
the two countries adds to their responsibility for avoidance of
conflict between the two countries;
Committed to the principle and purposes of the Charter of the United
Nations, and the universally accepted principles of peaceful
co-existence;
Reiterating the determination of both countries to implementing the
Simla Agreement in letter and spirit;
Committed to the objectives of universal nuclear disarmament;
Reaffirming their agreement on Cultural Co-operation of 31 December
1988 for promoting and developing their relations and understanding
in the realms of art, culture, archaeology, education, mass media and
sports;
Have agreed that their respective governments:
(1) shall intensify their efforts to resolve all issues, including
the issue of Jammu and Kashmir.
(2) shall remove their military forces from the disputed Siachen
Glacier area and conclude an agreement making it a demilitarised zone
under joint juridical control.
(3) shall refrain from intervention and interference in each other's
internal affairs, and shall conclude a bilateral no-war pact.
(4) shall undertake national and co-operative measures to reduce the
risk of accidental or unauthorised use of nuclear weapons under their
respective control, and the risk of nuclear war, and shall conclude a
bilateral agreement on nuclear risk reduction measures.
(5) shall conclude a bilateral agreement on advance notification of
launches of ballistic missiles and space vehicles.
(6) shall formalise their respective unilateral moratoria on further
nuclear tests by acceding to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban
Treaty.
(7) shall further liberalise the visa and travel regime between the
two countries, and shall conclude a bilateral agreement for this
purpose.
(8) shall promote academic and cultural exchanges and encourage
business across the border.
(9) reaffirm their commitment to the goals and objectives of SAARC
with a view to promoting the welfare of the people of South Asia.
(10) shall promote and protect all human rights and fundamental freedoms.
TREATY BETWEEN
THE REPUBLIC OF INDIA AND THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN
ON MEASURES FOR NUCLEAR RISK REDUCTION
The Republic of India and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,
hereinafter referred to as the Parties,
Recalling their commitments under the joint declaration at the Lahore
summit on 21 February 1999,
Believing that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought,
Affirming their desire to reduce and ultimately eliminate the risk of
outbreak of nuclear war, which would cause immense suffering and
destruction to the peoples and the environment of the two countries,
Believing that agreement on measures for reducing the risk of
outbreak of nuclear war serves the interests of regional peace and
security,
Recognising the need to exert every effort to avert the risk of
outbreak of such a war, including measures to guard against
accidental or unauthorised use of nuclear weapons,
Recognising that the geographic contiguity of the two countries puts
severe limits on the time available, after receiving a warning of an
attack, to ascertain whether or not the attack is real, involves
nuclear weapons, is accidental, or unauthorised,
Recognising therefore the need to have sufficient time for mutual
communication and consultation to avoid a hasty and disproportionate
response,
Have agreed as follows:
Article 1: The Republic of India and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
agree that an objective of their policies is to remove the danger of
nuclear war and of the use of nuclear weapons.
Accordingly, the Parties agree that they will act in such a manner as
to prevent the development of situations capable of causing a
dangerous exacerbation of their relations, as to avoid military
confrontations, and as to exclude the outbreak of nuclear war between
them and between either of the Parties and other countries.
Article 2: The Parties commit to not deploy nuclear weapons.
Article 3: Each Party commits that as an act of non-deployment, it shall
(i) keep disassembled all nuclear weapons, with the fissile material
stored separately from the high explosives
(ii) keep all disassembled components of nuclear weapons physically
separated from all possible nuclear capable delivery vehicles, such
as aircraft or ballistic missiles, by a distance of at least 50
kilometres;
Article 4: Each Party undertakes to maintain and to improve, as it
deems necessary, its existing organisational and technical
arrangements to guard against an accidental or unauthorised use of
nuclear weapons under its control.
Article 5: The Parties undertake to notify each other immediately in
the event of an accidental, unauthorised or any other unexplained
incident involving a possible detonation of a nuclear weapon. In the
event of such an incident, the party whose nuclear weapon is involved
will immediately make every effort to take necessary measures to
render harmless or destroy such weapon without its causing damage.
Article 6: The Parties undertake to notify each other immediately in
the event of detection by missile warning systems of unidentified
objects, or in the event of signs of interference with these systems
or with related communications facilities, if such occurrences could
create a risk of outbreak of nuclear war between the two countries.
Article 7: Each party, in other situations involving unexplained
nuclear incidents, undertakes to act in such a manner as to reduce
the possibility of its actions being misinterpreted by the other
Party. In any such situation, each Party may inform the other Party
or request information when in its view, this is warranted by the
interests of averting the risk of outbreak of nuclear war.
Article 8: Each Party shall establish, in its capital, a national
Nuclear Risk Reduction Centre that shall operate on behalf of and
under the control of its respective Government.
Article 9: The Parties shall use the Nuclear Risk Reduction Centres to transmit
(1) all information which could be useful in avoiding an
unintentional or accidental outbreak of nuclear war between the
Parties.
(2) notifications of all ballistic missile launches, in accordance
with their Treaty on Notification of Launches of Ballistic Missiles.
Article 10: The list of notifications and communications to be
transmitted through the Centres may be reviewed from time to time by
agreement between the Parties.
Article 11 : The Parties shall establish a special high-speed
communications link between their national Nuclear Risk Reduction
Centres.
Article 12 : The Parties shall, by mutual agreement, employ the
appropriate technologies needed to fulfil the objectives of the
agreement.
Article 13 : The Parties shall staff their national Nuclear Risk
Reduction Centres as they deem appropriate, so as to ensure their
normal functioning. The training of the staff of the Centres shall be
done jointly and co-operatively.
Article 14 : The Parties shall hold regular meetings between
representatives of the Nuclear Risk Reduction Centres at least once
each year to consider matters related to the functioning of such
Centres. These meetings will consider the steps needed for the
continued and improved functioning of the Centres to implement this
agreement.
Article 15 : If at any time relations between the Parties or between
either Party and other countries appear to involve the risk of a
nuclear conflict, or if relations between countries not parties to
this Agreement appear to involve the risk of nuclear war between the
Parties or between either Party and other countries, India and
Pakistan, acting in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement,
shall immediately enter into urgent consultations with each other and
make every effort to avert this risk.
Article 16 : This Agreement shall not affect the obligations of
either Party under other agreements.
Article 17 : This Agreement shall enter into force on the date of its
signature.
Article 18 : The duration of this Agreement shall not be limited.
TREATY BETWEEN
THE REPUBLIC OF INDIA AND THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN
ON NOTIFICATIONS OF LAUNCHES OF BALLISTIC MISSILES AND SPACE VEHICLES
The Republic of India and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,
hereinafter referred to as the Parties:
Believing that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought,
Believing that agreement on measures for reducing the risk of
outbreak of nuclear war serves the interests of strengthening peace
and security in the region of South Asia,
Recognising that the Parties possess nuclear weapons, and ballistic
missiles as delivery vehicles for nuclear weapons,
Recognising the similarity in the technology and physical
characteristics of ballistic missiles and space vehicles,
Affirming their desire to reduce and ultimately eliminate the risk of
outbreak of nuclear war, in particular, as a result of
misinterpretation, miscalculation, or accident,
Have agreed as follows:
Article 1 : Each Party shall provide the other Party notification,
through the Nuclear Risk Reduction Centres of the Republic of India
and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, no less than twenty-four hours
in advance, of any planned launch of a ballistic missile or space
vehicle.
Article 2 : A notification of a planned launch shall be valid for
four days counting from the launch date indicated in such a
notification. Any postponement or cancellation of the launch shall be
notified.
Article 3 : For launches of ballistic missiles
1. the notification shall specify the area from which the launch is
planned to take place.
2. The notification shall specify the geographic co-ordinates of the
planned impact area. This shall be done either by indicating the
geographic co-ordinates of the boundary points of the area, or by
indicating the geographic co-ordinates of the centre of a circle with
a radius specified in kilometres or nautical miles. The size of the
impact area shall be determined by the notifying Party at its
discretion.
Article 4 : For launches of space vehicles, the notification shall
specify indicate the area from which the launch is planned to take
place.
Article 5 : The Parties undertake to hold periodic consultations, as
mutually agreed, to consider questions relating to implementation of
the provisions of this Agreement.
Article 6 : This Agreement shall not affect the obligations of either
Party under other agreements.
Article 7 : This Agreement shall enter into force on the date of its signature.
NO WAR TREATY BETWEEN THE
REPUBLIC OF INDIA AND THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN
The Republic of India and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan:
Sharing a vision of peace and stability between their countries, and
of progress and prosperity for their peoples;
Convinced that durable peace and development of harmonious relations
and friendly co-operation will serve the vital interests of the
peoples of the two countries, enabling them to devote their energies
for a better future;
Committed to the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United
Nations, and the universally accepted principles of peaceful
co-existence;
Reaffirming that an environment of peace and security is in the
supreme national interest of both sides and that the resolution of
all outstanding issues, including Jammu and Kashmir, is essential for
this purpose;
Article 1 : Each Party will refrain from the threat or use of force
against the other Party under any circumstances.
Article 2 : The Parties shall never again wage war against each other.
Article 3 : For the purposes of this agreement, an act of war shall
be defined as including:
(i) incursion of armed forces into the territory of the other Party,
(ii) hostile use of armed forces and implements of war against the other Party,
(iii) abetting hostile actions by armed insurrectionary groups
against the other Party,
(iv) committing or helping to commit acts of sabotage and disruption
of civil life in the territory of the other Party.
(v) blockading or obstructing in any way land, sea or air access
routes of the other Party to the outside world.
(vi) disrupting the flow of river water to the other Party except as
permitted under a bilateral agreement.
(vii) any other action mutually agreed as constituting an act of war
(viii) in case of disputes, any action may be referred to the
Adjudication Commission, whose judgement will be binding.
Article 4 : The Parties shall establish a permanent commission,
called the "Acts of War Adjudication Commission" to adjudicate
between the Parties on the acts that are deemed by either of the
Parties to have been in violation of this Pact.
Article 5 : The Adjudication Commission shall consist of
(1) The Chief Justice of a SAARC country to be appointed by
alphabetic rotation from amongst the SAARC member countries other
than the Parties to this Treaty for a term of three calendar years,
who shall chair the Commission
(2) the Chief Justices of the two countries
(3) the Foreign Secretaries of the two countries
Article 6 : In case the Adjudication Commission fails to arrive at a
verdict in a case referred to it, the Parties will jointly take the
case to the International Court of Justice, the Hague.
Article 7 : The Parties undertake to develop their relations with
each other and with other countries in a way consistent with the
purposes of this Agreement, and shall intensify their efforts to
resolve all their mutual disputes, particularly the issue of Jammu
and Kashmir in accordance with the wishes of the people of Jammu and
Kashmir.
Article 8 : This Pact shall come into force immediately, and shall
remain in force indefinitely.
TREATY BETWEEN
THE REPUBLIC OF INDIA AND THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN
ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A DEMILITARISED IN THE AREA OF THE SIACHEN GLACIER
The Republic of India and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,
hereinafter referred to as the Parties,
Committed to the principle and purposes of the Charter of the United
Nations, and the universally accepted principles of peaceful
co-existence;
Reiterating the determination of both countries to implementing the
Simla Agreement in letter and spirit;
Reaffirming the principles and spirit of the Lahore agreement;
Believing that demilitarisation of the Siachen Glacier serves the
interests of regional peace and security,
Have agreed as follows:
Article 1 : The Parties agree to immediately withdraw all armed
forces from within the Siachen Glacier area.
Article 2 : For the purposes of this agreement, the area is defined
as the region bounded by three lines: (1) the northern border with
the Peoples Republic of China from Indira Col in the west to the
Karakoram Pass in the east; (2) the line joining Indira Col to the
point NJ9842 through Sia La, Bilafond La and Gyong La, and (3) the
line joining the Karakoram Pass with the point NJ9842.
Article 3 : The Parties declare the area to be a de-militarised zone,
to remain under the joint juridical control of the Parties.
Article 4 : The Parties agree to share equally the cost of
environmental remediation of the area and restoring it to its natural
state.
Article 5 : The Parties agree to establish a Joint Commission to
work out modalities for implementation of this agreement within a
period of three months, to work out modalities of the joint juridical
control of the area, and to, thereafter, ensure continued existence
of the area as the zone of peace.
Article 6 : This Agreement shall not affect the obligations of
either Party under other agreements.
Article 7 : The Parties shall seek a commitment from all states
bordering the area to respect the statute of demilitarisation in the
area.
Article 8 : This agreement shall not prejudice and is subject to a
final agreement on the Kashmir dispute.
AGREEMENT BETWEEN
THE REPUBLIC OF INDIA AND THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN
ON EASING THE VISA AND TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS
The Republic of India and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,
hereinafter referred to as the Parties,
Recalling their Agreement on Cultural Co-operation of 31 December
1988 for promoting and developing their relations and understanding
in the realms of art, culture, archaeology, education, mass media and
sports;
Recalling the Lahore Agreement and reaffirming their commitment to
further liberalise the visa and travel regime for the citizens of
their two countries
Have agreed to:
1 : The Parties shall allow each other to open visa consulates in the
following cities:
i) Pakistan to open visa consulates in Amritsar, Mumbai, Kolkata,
Chennai and Hyderabad.
ii) India to open visa consulates in Karachi, Hyderabad, Quetta,
Lahore and Peshawar.
2 : The Parties shall grant visa at the port of entry to accredited
(i) journalists,
(ii) school, college and university teachers,
(iii) students,
(iv) artists,
(v) sports-persons,
(vi) senior citizens.
3 : The Parties shall forthwith remove city-specific restriction from
visas, and allow unrestricted travel anywhere in the country
4 : The Parties shall progressively increase the frequency of road,
rail and air links across the border
5 : The parties shall reopen the land crossing at Khokrapar
6 : The Parties shall initiate ferry services between Mumbai and Karachi
7 : The Parties shall create a joint Commission to further liberalise
and encourage travel between the two countries.
8 : This Agreement shall enter into force on the date of its signature.
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