Chicago, June 14: Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani said here that India was ready for a compromise on Jammu and Kashmir. However, what these compromises would be, had to be determined through talks. Advani told an elite gathering that there could be a compromise on Jammu and Kashmir. ‘‘We have to see what kind of compromises are possible even now,’’ he said, adding talks could help decide these compromises. ‘‘There has to be some give and take to achieve peace. However, we have to pledge that we would resolve the issue through peaceful means.’’ The remarks by Advani, a hardliner on the issues concerning Pakistan, marked a turning point in the behind-the-scenes efforts to bring about a settlement between New Delhi and Islamabad on the crucial Kashmir issue.
India is bound by a unanimous resolution by Parliament declaring Jammu and Kashmir, including the area held by Pakistan, an integral part of the country. On the other hand, Pakistan continues to reject India’s position, demanding a right to self-determination for the people of the state.
Since a solution has to be acceptable to both sides, one formula closest to both countries is the conversion of the present line of control (LoC) in the state into an international border. The idea acquired credence when the US successfully pressured Pakistan to make terrorists vacate the Kargil hills and retreat into the Pakistani side of the LoC.
Bureau Report