Haven't become PM of India to redraw border: Manmohan Singh to Nawaz

[ladder]

Haven't become PM of India to redraw border: Manmohan Singh to Nawaz Sharif

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's displeasure with Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif's on failing to restore ceasefire on the border followed a blunt message he delivered to Sharif in New York about a month ago when he said, "I have not become prime minister of India to redraw the boundary."

The PM's September 29 meeting with Sharif, which took place amid escalating firing on the Line of Control and the international border, began with Singh making no bones about his resolve to protect India's territorial integrity.

In fact, Singh's "Churchillian moment", reminiscent of the British leader's declaration in 1942 that he had not become the King's first minister to "preside over the liquidation of the British Empire", even surprised his senior aides as the PM brushed aside Sharif's arguments.

Singh responded to Sharif's attempt to raise India's "role" in Baluchistan, saying the matter had been raised by previous Pakistani PMs as well without an iota of proof being offered. The firmness must have struck Sharif, considering that it was Singh who heeded Islamabad's insistence to put Pakistan's allegation of Indian meddling in Baluchistan on the bilateral agenda.

Sources said Singh's unusually sharp words expressing his "big disappointment" with Sharif on Friday indicate his annoyance over the Pakistani PM not heeding an unambiguous signal that firing on the LoC and the border must stop.

On his way back from Beijing, Singh told the media, "Let me say that I am disappointed, because in the New York meeting, there was a general agreement on both the sides that peace and tranquility should be maintained on the border, on the Line of Control as well as on the international border and this has not happened."

In the New York meeting, Singh had also categorically rejected the Pakistani suggestion that restoration of the 2003 ceasefire agreement could be discussed by a politico-military committee, insisting the matter be sorted out at the military level.

The PM made it plain that Indian and Pakistani directors general of military operations must sort out the ceasefire violations and restore peace and tranquillity on the LoC and the international border.

Singh's insistence on the DGMO mechanism stemmed from India's view that Pakistan's civilian government could not be less accountable than the military. "The government in Pakistan is expected to implement the agreement arrived at in New York," said sources.

Singh's tough talk on Friday signals his waning patience as the political calendar in India begins to rapidly move towards the 2014 elections and Congress wards off the opposition charge of being soft on Pakistan's aggression on the borders.

Sources said the PM junked his moderate approach — even when being critical of Pakistan — as he felt nothing short of an unequivocal comment would work, given the rising tensions on the J&K border and LoC.

On Friday, the PM did express the hope that Sharif would "even at this late hour" recognize that the developments on the border do not augur well for both nations, but this time around he made it clear that the onus was on Pakistan to mend fences.

In the past, Singh has laboured hard to convince Pakistani leaders that combating terrorism and preventing hostile behaviour on the border was in Pakistan's interest. For him to give vent to his frustration would mean that he feels the scope for a middle ground with Pakistan is shrinking.

The episode and subsequent lack of action on the part of Pakistan has strengthened the assessment in India that Sharif remains a somewhat tricky customer who might say one thing at a meeting only to go ahead to do just what he wants.

The Pakistani PM is seen as neither willing nor capable of reining in the army, but the Indian government — at least in the current situation — has decided that it cannot continue to receive political flak at home without holding Sharif to account.
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Haven't become PM of India to redraw border: Manmohan Singh to Nawaz Sharif - The Times of India

 

[bennedose]

Re: Haven't become PM of India to redraw border: Manmohan Singh to N

The Pakistani PM is seen as neither willing nor capable of reining in the army

The Indian government is suddenly having a tubelight "Aha" moment.

 

[happy]

Re: Haven't become PM of India to redraw border: Manmohan Singh to N

It seems MMS has just been released from Sonia's shackles to do some wonder and get UPA to power a second time. What a wet dream !!!

 

[Neil]

Re: Haven't become PM of India to redraw border: Manmohan Singh to N

It seems MMS has just been released from Sonia's shackles to do some wonder and get UPA to power a second time. What a wet dream !!!

nah.... with the mounting attack of opposition on PMs pak policy and the general mood of the country since the beheading of our boys have put a lot of pressure on congress to defend itself and the PM ... and with election dates approaching u dont want a liability called MMS and his crap pak policy in your balance sheet...

 

[roma]

Re: Haven't become PM of India to redraw border: Manmohan Singh to N

keep a firm eye on this Pakjabi N Shariff - kargil took place during his time ...
...he allowed Musshy to go ahead with it although later he berated him for losing all resources

and i suppose the lessons he learned in Kargil, he is now trying to apply in Keran ?

secondly as a high up Pakjabi, i believe shariff is certainly in cahoots
with his fellow pakjabis in the all-important isi
i dont buy his story that the isi is beyond his control
he played MMSingh in New york and orchestrated the heightened tensions
and violations of the LOC following the meeting

then he met with Obama to say ,
"see what these indians are doing in Kashmir " !!

but the US state dept didnt buy his story either
IMHO they slapped him hard in the face
Obama said he would NOT interfere in the Kashmir issue
and a state dept spokesman said they would appreciate if pakistan
would stop clandestinely supporting terrorism

zardari was better - a bit more " sincere" - about peace ?

keep an eye on this shariff - he will be up to something else after this
we should seriously re-consider about selling that clown electricity
it may not go to the people as they have claimed it would
instead, he will use most of it to manufacture armaments against us

 

[happy]

Re: Haven't become PM of India to redraw border: Manmohan Singh to N

nah.... with the mounting attack of opposition on PMs pak policy and the general mood of the country since the beheading of our boys have put a lot of pressure on congress to defend itself and the PM ... and with election dates approaching u dont want a liability called MMS and his crap pak policy in your balance sheet...

IMO if UPA again comes to power, I would like to see MMS as PM instead of Raul.

 

[Neil]

Re: Haven't become PM of India to redraw border: Manmohan Singh to N

IMO if UPA again comes to power, I would like to see MMS as PM instead of Raul.

man u are very cruel... both to MMS and us...

 

[happy]

Re: Haven't become PM of India to redraw border: Manmohan Singh to N

man u are very cruel... both to MMS and us...

Haha. . . .cant help it

 

[Free Karma]

Re: Haven't become PM of India to redraw border: Manmohan Singh to N

This sounds nice ...but can it be seen as anything more than a desperate bid to make mms look better ahead of the elections? Because the rahul strat kinda crashing pretty badly.

 

[ladder]

Re: Haven't become PM of India to redraw border: Manmohan Singh to N

nah.... with the mounting attack of opposition on PMs pak policy and the general mood of the country since the beheading of our boys have put a lot of pressure on congress to defend itself and the PM ... and with election dates approaching u dont want a liability called MMS and his crap pak policy in your balance sheet...

If I remember it well then PM Singh also had said something awkward to Zardari as-well. That was before the beheading episode I suppose.
Then Pakistan had whined that PM Singh could have waited till journalists were cleared of the room before speaking in such terms.
Whether his words are followed by action or not, but PM Singh in summit meeting with Pakistan does act in a fashion to put his counterpart in back-foot to negate him from taking any advantage of PM Singh's soft image that had been projected by opposition parties at home.

EDIT:

The statement as in the link below was after Mumbai terrorist attack.

"I am very happy to meet you but, I must tell you quite frankly that I have come with the limited mandate of discussing how Pakistan can deliver on its assurances that its territory would not be used for terrorist attacks on India."

http://news.rediff.com/report/2009/jul/11/pm-says-he-did-not-intend-to-hurt-zardari-feelings.htm

 

[thakur_ritesh]

Re: Haven't become PM of India to redraw border: Manmohan Singh to N

There is a sudden image makeover of the PM happening, I wonder why?

Anyway, the border deal between India and Bangladesh is indeed an attempt at redrawing the border of India, though the spin-offs from that are worth a discussion, but none the less, an attempt at redrawing the map!

 

[Abhijeet Dey]

Re: Haven't become PM of India to redraw border: Manmohan Singh to N

Does this mean India may attack Pakistan?

 

[Ray]

Re: Haven't become PM of India to redraw border: Manmohan Singh to N

First statement from MMS showing him as a worthy PM.

I think he is at his tethers end with Pakistan and its serialised deceit!

 

[Neil]

Re: Haven't become PM of India to redraw border: Manmohan Singh to N

If I remember it well then PM Singh also had said something awkward to Zardari as-well. That was before the beheading episode I suppose.
Then Pakistan had whined that PM Singh could have waited till journalists were cleared of the room before speaking in such terms.
Whether his words are followed by action or not, but PM Singh in summit meeting with Pakistan does act in a fashion to put his counterpart in back-foot to negate him from taking any advantage of PM Singh's soft image that had been projected by opposition parties at home.

EDIT:

The statement as in the link below was after Mumbai terrorist attack.



I did not intend to hurt Zardari, says PM - Rediff.com India News

yup he did... after the Mumbai terror attack... but after that meeting IIRC there was a meeting at Sharm al sheikh in which PM completely sold us out when he allowed the joint statement to include indian involvement in Baluchistan ... when Mumbai attack so damn fresh in everyones mind...

the so called back channel talks between him and Musharraf regarding Kashmir.. again a sell out...

he has been firm when congress isnt able to defend his action otherwise he will sell us out for his trip to Gah ....

 

[ladder]

Re: Haven't become PM of India to redraw border: Manmohan Singh to N

yup he did... after the Mumbai terror attack... but after that meeting IIRC there was a meeting at Sharm al sheikh in which PM completely sold us out when he allowed the joint statement to include indian involvement in Baluchistan ... when Mumbai attack so damn fresh in everyones mind...

the so called back channel talks between him and Musharraf regarding Kashmir.. again a sell out...

he has been firm when congress isnt able to defend his action otherwise he will sell us out for his trip to Gah ....

Please give equal credit of Sharm al sheikh fiasco to NSA S. S. Menon as-well.

 

[Neil]

Re: Haven't become PM of India to redraw border: Manmohan Singh to N

Please give equal credit of Sharm al sheikh fiasco to NSA S. S. Menon as-well.

all the peaceniks are to be blamed no doubt about it... but PM is the absolute power .. NSA cant bypass a PM ... so a larger share of the fiasco goes to MMS..

 

[Abhijeet Dey]

Re: Haven't become PM of India to redraw border: Manmohan Singh to N

Now he should also make the same statement against Chinese aggression in Arunachal Pradesh.

 

[arnabmit]

Re: Haven't become PM of India to redraw border: Manmohan Singh to N

MMS was always a good man, only in the wrong party.

Maybe the latest Rahul nonsense spat finally broke the camel's back and MMS found his feet under him.

If not for Cong, MMS could have been a good PM.

 

[ladder]

Re: Haven't become PM of India to redraw border: Manmohan Singh to N

all the peaceniks are to be blamed no doubt about it... but PM is the absolute power .. NSA cant bypass a PM ... so a larger share of the fiasco goes to MMS..

Yes, but I feel Sharm al sheikh joint statement which mentions Balochistan was a drafting error and decision error about what should find a place in the joint statement and what should be left out and whether whatever is included in content and language in line with country's policy.

This job is a responsibility at secretary level and to be vetted by NSA.(in my opinion) If that job becomes a personal responsibility of PM then, god save him.

Though there is no denying factor that responsibility lies with PM.

My piece is a consideration between responsibility and practicality.

If for example:

The statement on Balochistan in the joint statement was as follows

Prime Minister Gilani mentioned that Pakistan has some information on threats in Balochistan and other areas.

India, Pak issue joint statement on bilateral relations - Indian Express

Were to be added with another statement that

India denied any role in destabilizing Balochistan or that no constructive evidence has been provided.

So, though it was a fiasco but, the allegations that later came out of Pakistan with mis-information that India has accepted meddling in Balochistan ( which as not as mentioning during summit meeting is not acceptance) was not effectively countered which was the real debacle.

 

[Ray]

Re: Haven't become PM of India to redraw border: Manmohan Singh to N

PM HOME AND ABROAD

Perceptions can be misleading. Going by perceptions within India at the present moment, the rating of Manmohan Singh as prime minister of India will be low. He is perceived as weak, indecisive, inarticulate and often unable to take prompt action against corrupt ministers. Contrast this with perceptions about him among leaders abroad. He is seen as sage-like, as a source of good sense, and as a man with a vision. Whatever may be history's verdict on Mr Singh as prime minister, there can be little doubt that he will be seen as India's most successful foreign minister. This may appear to be a back-handed compliment and almost paradoxical but it is an assessment based on facts. In foreign affairs, Mr Singh first made his mark — and the mark is indelible — in his handling of India's relationship with the United States of America and in the manner in which he steered the nuclear deal. It earned him a few brickbats from predictable quarters but it also revealed to his critics, and even to some of his admirers, an unknown steely side of the prime minister. Throughout the tortuous negotiations of the Indo-US nuclear treaty, Mr Singh held his nerve and conveyed to the US leadership and therefore to the world that India was a responsible power that could be trusted.

Subsequently, Mr Singh has shown similar resilience in his dealings with Pakistan. In spite of serious provocations, Mr Singh has refused to surrender the position that India should continue to talk to Pakistan without in any way putting India's national security in jeopardy. It has been a thankless pursuit but he has not allowed jingoism to overwhelm him. More recently, Mr Singh has partially broken the deadlock with China and by the respect he earned in Russia demonstrated that India is not as pronouncedly pro-US as some people would like to aver.

Anyone who knows about diplomacy and foreign policy is aware that progress in these fields is incremental, never dramatic. The major part of the work is invariably invisible, done behind closed doors. Seasoned mandarins sitting across tables carry out hard-nosed bargains and negotiations. But behind such parleys there is always a guiding vision. That vision comes from the prime minister, in the present context from Mr Singh. It does not require any insider knowledge to infer that Mr Singh must have informed his officials about his priorities and about his overall vision regarding India's place in the world. Only then could the mandarins proceed. It is a collective achievement that would not have been possible without Mr Singh's guiding hand and mind.

Mr Singh has been an almost perfect finance minister; his success in foreign affairs is noteworthy. If only he could exert a similar dominance in internal affairs his place in India's history books would be assured.

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