Can Obama Solve The Kashmir Issue?

[Neo]

That is all fine Neo, but India will still not move it's troops just because Obama says so. Obama is taking this issue to lightly and clearly show the ignorance on his part of foreign relations.

I don't recall anything like this being said by Obama yet, all he's offered is to help resolve the issue and its worth a try.

Don't underestimate the power or political weight of USA, she can make or break a country, bully the world to enforce agreements like the civil nuclear deal with India.

 

[Neo]

Pakistan and India clash over Kashmir at UN​

UNITED NATIONS, Nov 4: Pakistan and India clashed in the UN General Assembly’s open debate on Monday over the disputed Kashmir territory after an Indian delegate called it a part of India.

“Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally recognised disputed territory according to several UN resolutions. The Security Council’s demand for free and fair plebiscite under the UN auspices still remains to be implemented,” Ambassador Abdullah Hussain Haroon said rejecting Indian claims.

Citing the current violence in Indian-occupied Kashmir, Mr Haroon said the occupation forces had brutally killed innocent protesters.

The Kashmiri political leadership has been put behind bars to silence their call for freedom. Such actions, he said, created tension and aggravated the situation on the ground.

Mr Haroon exercised his right of reply to a statement by Indian delegate Rajeev Shukla claiming Kashmir to be a part of India, and insisting that an earlier speech by the Pakistani ambassador amounted to “unwarranted” interference in the Indian internal affairs and that it was also “factually incorrect”.

Mr Shukla said: “The people of Jammu and Kashmir exercised their right to self-determination at the time of India’s independence and have since then repeatedly participated in free, fair and open elections at all levels. In contrast, Pakistan pretends to be concerned over human rights, yet denied even a semblance of such rights to the people of Azad Kashmir.”

In a hard-hitting response, Mr Haroon said the Indian claims about Kashmiris’ exercise of the right to self-determination through elections had been rejected not only by the UN Security Council but also by the people of Kashmir.

“The current response to announcing elections is in front of the whole world. The Kashmiri leadership has once again rejected the so-called elections, they have been put behind bars, and widespread protests in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir are going on”.

As regards human rights violations, Mr Haroon said Pakistan had only echoed what had been said and reported both by the international and Indian human rights non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and media about Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

“Pakistan remains committed to the ongoing dialogue between the two countries and considers it an important vehicle for promotion of cooperative and good neighbourly relations as well as peace and security in the region. It is, however, important that the process of engagement produce results in addressing the outstanding issues. It should move from a stage of conflict management to conflict resolution,” he added.

While participating in the committee’s debate on “Right of peoples to self-determination”, Mr Haroon said the exercise of that right had empowered suppressed and disenfranchised peoples to strive to achieve equality before the law and to determine their own political, economic, social and cultural systems.

Today, he said, the existence of that right continued to engender hope among millions of the poor and vulnerable, whose fundamental rights to chart their own destiny had been the suppressed or denied.

In strengthening the right to self-determination, he said the following principles must be constantly reaffirmed: first, the forcible occupation of a people’s territory whose right of self-determination had been mandated by the United Nations should be recognised as a clear violation of international law; second, the right to self-determination must be exercised freely and unfettered by overt and covert coercion or influence; third, the right was immutable and could not be extinguished by the passage of time; and fourth, the legitimacy of a people’s struggle for self-determination could not be compromised by tarnishing it with accusation of terrorism levelled by occupying powers.

Turning to the situation in Indian-occupied Kashmir, he said that six decades had passed since the Kashmiri people were promised they would be able to exercise their right to self-determination by the United Nations Security Council. However, the inability to remove troops from that area had delayed self-determination and, now, the complete removal of troops ordained by the Security Council resolution could not be ignored.

An improvement in the human rights situation in the Indian- occupied Kashmir, he said, would facilitate and enhance the dialogue process between India and Pakistan. He called upon all parties to seize the opportunity provided by the ongoing dialogue to find a negotiated settlement on the Jammu and Kashmir issue.

 

[jeypore]

I don't recall anything like this being said by Obama yet, all he's offered is to help resolve the issue and its worth a try.

Don't underestimate the power or political weight of USA, she can make or break a country, bully the world to enforce agreements like the civil nuclear deal with India.

Well then you need to learn more about the Democratic Party of the United States.

I am not underestimating the power or political weight, but if the US can even solve the Isareal and Palestine issue, how are they going to solves this one.

 

[ejaz007]

Clinton likely envoy on Kashmir

ISLAMABAD: United States president-elect Barack Obama might consider appointing former president Bill Clinton as a special envoy on Jammu and Kashmir. In a recent interview to Time magazine, Obama said he had sounded out Clinton, who had had first-hand experience of dealing with the subcontinent. Clinton had played a role in ending the Kargil crisis in Kashmir in 1999, KMS reported. While recognising that Kashmir was ‘obviously a potential tar pit’ for American diplomacy, Obama remained optimistic about changing the regional dynamic. Obama said “working with Pakistan and India to try to resolve the Kashmir crisis in a serious way” was one of the most ‘critical tasks’ for his administration. Calling Kashmir an ‘interesting situation’, Obama said he was ready to explore the option for the US “to devote serious diplomatic resources to get a special envoy in there, to figure out a plausible approach”. app

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

 

[jeypore]

Clinton likely envoy on Kashmir

ISLAMABAD: United States president-elect Barack Obama might consider appointing former president Bill Clinton as a special envoy on Jammu and Kashmir. In a recent interview to Time magazine, Obama said he had sounded out Clinton, who had had first-hand experience of dealing with the subcontinent. Clinton had played a role in ending the Kargil crisis in Kashmir in 1999, KMS reported. While recognising that Kashmir was ‘obviously a potential tar pit’ for American diplomacy, Obama remained optimistic about changing the regional dynamic. Obama said “working with Pakistan and India to try to resolve the Kashmir crisis in a serious way” was one of the most ‘critical tasks’ for his administration. Calling Kashmir an ‘interesting situation’, Obama said he was ready to explore the option for the US “to devote serious diplomatic resources to get a special envoy in there, to figure out a plausible approach”. app

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

This means that Pakistan will not like the Obama Kashmire solutions because clearly Clinton has been pro-india. Second mistake for Obama, picking Bill Clinton. He should have picked someone neutral.

 

[kingfisher99]

its still speculation .dont jump to conclusions my friend.

 

[DarkStar]

This means that Pakistan will not like the Obama Kashmire solutions because clearly Clinton has been pro-india. Second mistake for Obama, picking Bill Clinton. He should have picked someone neutral.

That is exactly what I was thinking. He probably wouldn't visit Islamabad even if someone paid him. If he is there, we surely won't get any headway. But a good excuse to do some sightseeing in Agra and other places.

 

[jeypore]

That is exactly what I was thinking. He probably wouldn't visit Islamabad even if someone paid him. If he is there, we surely won't get any headway. But a good excuse to do some sightseeing in Agra and other places.

Concrete is already cracking in Obama grand plan for Kashmire. Well like I said before, he is very novice in foreign affairs and you will see this thru out his presidendency.

 

[kingfisher99]

[Q] And then some of those kids at Walter Reed, they said [the Taliban attackers came] across the border from Pakistan, only 30 km away. Should we, is it right what we've started doing to chase them back across the border?...How do you deal with that?
[BO] Here's my attitude. Number 1 we can't have our troops remain sitting ducks. We should, under our coalition mandate we are in Afghanistan at the invitation of the afghan government. We're there legally, under international watch. When those troops are attacked, they have a right to defend themselves. Period. Now I think that the most critical task that we have in Afghanistan is to not only strengthen the Afghan government, it's military capacity, it's ability to deliver services to its people, its capacity to work with the agricultural sector there to replace the poppy crop. But it’s to also work through a viable strategy for Pakistan. My sense is that Zedari has already been willing to step out and commit himself in a pretty difficult situation to work with the United States to root out militant terrorists.
So, building a different relationship with the Pakistani government, the Pakistani military, the ISI. Working with Pakistan, this government to deliver for its people so it gains legitimacy, in all regions of the country. Working with Pakistan and India to try to resolve, and Kashmir, crisis in a serious way. Those are all critical tasks for the next administration. Kashmir in particular is an interesting situation where that is obviously a potential tar pit diplomatically. But, for us to devote serious diplomatic resources to get a special envoy in there, to figure out a plausible approach, and essentially make the argument to the Indians, you guys are on the brink of being an economic superpower, why do you want to keep on messing with this? To make the argument to the Pakistanis, look at India and what they are doing, why do you want to keep n being bogged down with this particularly at a time where the biggest threat now is coming from the Afghan boarder? I think there is a moment where potentially we could get their attention. It won’t be easy, but it’s important.

[Q] Sounds like a job for Bill Clinton.

[BO] Might not be bad. I actually talked to Bill, I talked to President Clinton about this when we had lunch in Harlem.

 

[kingfisher99]

excerts of his interview. wonder what will the hurriyat will have to say.

 

[kingfisher99]

Obama mulls Clinton as envoy on Kashmir
7 Nov, 2008, 1223 hrs IST,Chidanand Rajghatta, TNN


WASHINGTON: US President-elect Barack Obama lost little time in celebrating his victory by getting down to business within 24 hours of the histor
ic verdict. He named former Clinton chief of staff John Podesta to head his transition team while zeroing in on his close friend, Rahm Emanuel, for a position that’s often described as the second most important job in Washington — White House chief of staff, one who is both secretary and gatekeeper to the President.

But what would be of interest to New Delhi is that Obama has indicated he is mulling appointing former US president Bill Clinton as a special envoy on Kashmir.

In a little noticed interview on the campaign trail last month posted on a magazine blog, Obama identified working with Pakistan and India to try to resolve the Kashmir issue in a "serious way" as a critical task for the next administration.

He indicated that he was in favour of devoting "serious diplomatic resources to get a special envoy in there." Asked if it was not an ideal job for Clinton, Obama disclosed he had sounded out Clinton when they had lunch at Harlem last month. He did not say if Clinton had accepted the idea.

While the possibility of Clinton as special envoy has caused disquiet in some quarters in both India and Pakistan, some officials and analysts are arguing there are actually mitigating or even positive features to the idea, insofar as India is concerned.

For one, it was Clinton who decreed before agreeing to Pakistan’s plea for intervention in the Kargil crisis that the Line of Control in Kashmir will not be redrawn with blood, virtually backing India’s position. In fact, the national security official who made the pro-India call on Kargil was Bruce Riedel, a former CIA analyst, and part of Obama’s foreign policy team.

The very fact that Obama is thinking of such a high-profile pointsperson for Kashmir would indicate that he accords this unresolved dispute between India and Pakistan very high priority. India has been steadfastly opposed to the internationalising of the Kashmir issue, and Obama’s high interest in this complicated theatre of discord would amount to just that.

He has identified resolving the matter as a key to tempering Islamabad and concentrating its energy on the war on terror that’s consuming Pakistan.

 

[Neo]

Obama on Kashmir ​

EDITORIAL (November 08 2008): The people of Pakistan are not thrilled but certainly pleased at President-elect Barack Obama's expressed interest in 'facilitating' the solution of Kashmir problem. He appears to believe that if the Kashmir issue is resolved Pakistan would "stay focused, not on India, but on the situation with the militants".

The United States expects from Islamabad its unstinted support in the 'war on terror' - that it complains is not available and, therefore, it keeps demanding "do more". There is also a perception among the US military, circles that Pakistan is reluctant to commit its regular troops to fighting the militants in the restive north-west because they are deployed on the border with India.

He has sounded out former president Bill Clinton, who he thinks has better understanding of the problems besetting South Asian states, to act as his special envoy on Jammu and Kashmir. "Might not be a bad (idea). I actually talked to Bill, I talked to President Clinton about this when we had lunch" at Harlem in New York recently.

President Clinton's role in averting a war between Pakistan in the wake of Kargil crisis and his personal relationship with some South Asian leaders is well known. Facing a wider conflict with India over the messy Kargil adventure, the then military top brass, headed by General Pervez Musharraf, had dispatched the then prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, post haste to seek America's intercession.

It was 4th of July, a national holiday in Washington, but President Clinton obliged the Pakistani premier and secured Indian agreement to defuse the crisis by talking to Atal Behari Vajpayee. So far there is nothing official about Obama's so-called proposal to appoint former president Bill Clinton as special envoy but what is important is that America's new leader sees Kashmir as a problem.

This lends an international dimension to the problem, a development that must have caused serious concern in New Delhi as it runs counter to India's standard position that Kashmir is a bilateral issue between Pakistan and India. Much to the chagrin of India, Obama's remarks were almost coincidental to the debate in the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly on the "right of peoples' to self-determination", where Pakistan's Permanent Representative, Hussain A. Haroon, provoked Indian ire, by highlighting the growing incidence of brutalities perpetrated by occupying Indian forces on Kashmiri protestors.

On the same day, in response to a reporter's question, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed his readiness to be of help in resolving the Kashmir dispute "if India and Pakistan agreed to his role". One swallow doesn't make a summer but the very fact that the newcomer to the White House thinks Kashmir as a problem that needs to be resolved, possibly through engagement of the United States is what pleases Pakistanis.

Whatever the context of Barack Obama's remarks he is absolutely right that the Kashmir issue must be resolved. The fact is that the development and prosperity of over a billion people in South Asia is hostage to this lingering problem. It precipitated three conventional wars between Pakistan and India and threatens a possible nuclear conflict in future.

Even more critical is the need to urgently rescue the people of Indian occupied Kashmir from their dire plight at the hands of the India troops. It would be unfair to equate their freedom struggle with terrorism and extremism of the brand raging elsewhere in the region. Kashmiris, men, women and children, battling the occupation force on the streets of Srinagar and other cities - do they look like terrorists?

They are freedom fighters and demand their right of self-determination. Thanks to the Composite Dialogue some progress has been made in the Pak-India bilateral relationship but without Kashmiris joining this process, the dispute will not be resolved. It is not for nothing that the first hailer of Obama's comment on Kashmir came from the Kashmiris leaders in the United States.

That should encourage the US administration, to be installed on January 20, 2009, to move forward on this perception and bring American diplomacy into full play for a peaceful and lasting solution of the Kashmir dispute. That is the kind of 'change' that people in the world expect of President-elect Barack Obama.

 

[eva syed]

Alas! we all live under the same sky, but we dont all have the same horizon.

 

[batmannow]

Clinton likely envoy on Kashmir

ISLAMABAD: United States president-elect Barack Obama might consider appointing former president Bill Clinton as a special envoy on Jammu and Kashmir. In a recent interview to Time magazine, Obama said he had sounded out Clinton, who had had first-hand experience of dealing with the subcontinent. Clinton had played a role in ending the Kargil crisis in Kashmir in 1999, KMS reported. While recognising that Kashmir was ‘obviously a potential tar pit’ for American diplomacy, Obama remained optimistic about changing the regional dynamic. Obama said “working with Pakistan and India to try to resolve the Kashmir crisis in a serious way” was one of the most ‘critical tasks’ for his administration. Calling Kashmir an ‘interesting situation’, Obama said he was ready to explore the option for the US “to devote serious diplomatic resources to get a special envoy in there, to figure out a plausible approach”. app

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

its a way , to at least put "CLINTON's" in a bigger & important space, nothing more! specially created to balance the leadership of democratic party with vital importance?
nothing to do with real issue of "KASHMIR"!

 

[Nihat]

At the end of the day , any solution has to pacify both India and PAk , it's not like any third Party is going to live here to oversee the implementation.

IT would make no sense to agree to a US mediated solution under US pressure/diplomacy as even if one of the countries is dis-satisfied it could lead to a potential confrontation and we'll be back to square one.