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Cong promises foreign policy with `political realism`
New Delhi, Apr 10: Accusing the BJP-led NDA government of `grave failures` on the management of national security, foreign policy and defence, Congress today promised to infuse foreign policy with `political realism` making it responsive to the change in international situations and global power equations.
New Delhi, Apr 10: Accusing the BJP-led NDA government of “grave failures” on the management of national security, foreign policy and defence, Congress today promised to infuse foreign policy with “political realism” making it responsive to the change in international situations and global power equations.
Unveiling its agenda on security, defence and foreign policy, the party said if elected to power it will give particular attention to fashioning a “stable, working, cooperative” relationship with Pakistan under the framework of the historic Simla agreement of 1972 and subsequent agreements and confidence-building measures initiated by later Congress governments well upto 1996.
The 12-page document, released by senior party leader K Natwar Singh and former foreign secretary J N Dixit, lashed out at the NDA government`s policies related to Pakistan, saying it was a “saga of contradictions and confusion”.
The NDA government had “completely failed” in containing and countering terrorism sponsored by Pakistan, it charged.
It noted following the terrorist attack on parliament, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had declared “now India would fight the Pakistani menace to the finish”.
But a few months later, all of a sudden, a peace initiative with Pakistan was undertaken, it said, dubbing as “ludicrous” the claim of Vajpayee that normalisation of relations with Islamabad was its most important achievement.
The party blamed the government for not having any clarity in its Jammu and Kashmir policy. It argued at one time, the government thinking was that the principal problem in J&K was Pakistan-sponsored cross-border terrorism.
On talks with diverse shades of public opinion in J-K itself, there has been no consistency or transparency in approach by the NDA government, Congress alleged.
Observing that from time-to-time the government had appointed special envoys to discuss future of J&K with various political groups, it regretted the country was never taken into confidence with regard to their mandate and terms of reference.
The Congress also berated the NDA government for its “failure” to reorganise and restructure the institutions of higher command of the defence forces, despite there being a national consensus for such reforms and restructuring after the Kargil war.
The party held that Vajpayee government`s policies towards the US were characterised by “lack of transparency”.
Government protests over US decision to give Pakistan major non-NATO ally status “lacked credibility and conviction”, it said, adding government “failed” to dispel widely-held fears that India has accepted the mediator role for the US in Indo-Pak relations.
Bureau Report
Unveiling its agenda on security, defence and foreign policy, the party said if elected to power it will give particular attention to fashioning a “stable, working, cooperative” relationship with Pakistan under the framework of the historic Simla agreement of 1972 and subsequent agreements and confidence-building measures initiated by later Congress governments well upto 1996.
The 12-page document, released by senior party leader K Natwar Singh and former foreign secretary J N Dixit, lashed out at the NDA government`s policies related to Pakistan, saying it was a “saga of contradictions and confusion”.
The NDA government had “completely failed” in containing and countering terrorism sponsored by Pakistan, it charged.
It noted following the terrorist attack on parliament, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had declared “now India would fight the Pakistani menace to the finish”.
But a few months later, all of a sudden, a peace initiative with Pakistan was undertaken, it said, dubbing as “ludicrous” the claim of Vajpayee that normalisation of relations with Islamabad was its most important achievement.
The party blamed the government for not having any clarity in its Jammu and Kashmir policy. It argued at one time, the government thinking was that the principal problem in J&K was Pakistan-sponsored cross-border terrorism.
On talks with diverse shades of public opinion in J-K itself, there has been no consistency or transparency in approach by the NDA government, Congress alleged.
Observing that from time-to-time the government had appointed special envoys to discuss future of J&K with various political groups, it regretted the country was never taken into confidence with regard to their mandate and terms of reference.
The Congress also berated the NDA government for its “failure” to reorganise and restructure the institutions of higher command of the defence forces, despite there being a national consensus for such reforms and restructuring after the Kargil war.
The party held that Vajpayee government`s policies towards the US were characterised by “lack of transparency”.
Government protests over US decision to give Pakistan major non-NATO ally status “lacked credibility and conviction”, it said, adding government “failed” to dispel widely-held fears that India has accepted the mediator role for the US in Indo-Pak relations.
Bureau Report