POINT OF VIEW

Trade against terror and tragedy

Pradeep S Mehta, Abid Suleri
Posted: Sunday, Mar 30, 2008 at 2214 hrs IST
Updated: Sunday, Mar 30, 2008 at 2214 hrs IST

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: While reporting the terror attack on the Delhi-Lahore train, FE (February 20, 2007) carried an editorial saying, “…it is during such moments of tragedy that the real basis of subcontinental peace can be glimpsed. That basis does not lie in complex territorial negotiations, but in more and more, ultimately leading to free and open, two-sided flows of people and business”.

Despite resumption of rail-road links, the journey between the two neighbours is critically dependent upon the security and safety of travellers. The governments of the two countries must address the challenges of security to sustain the renewed interest of the people in visiting each other more frequently. The Indian Express-Dawn News-CNN-IBN opinion survey in both countries and an NDTV 24X7 debate in Karachi give a clear message that people on both sides of the border feel that friendship and cooperation (read trade) are a prerequisite for improving relations between the two neighbours.

There are enough examples showing how treaties of sharing river waters, cross-border infrastructure projects and nuclear rapprochement have partially bridged divides between hitherto not-so-friendly or even belligerent countries. The Indus Water treaty of 1960 has ironically survived more than 47 years of conflict over Kashmir. Likewise, the war between Cambodia and Vietnam has not prevented them from reaping the fruits of a 1,500-km long crossborder highway project. And the Middle East Regional Cooperation projects have encouraged trade and thereby peace and prosperity in the region.

India and Pakistan are regional nuclear powers and have recently exchanged lists of their nuclear installations. However, mere exchange of lists is not sufficient cover for an unwarranted action by either party. The Argentina-Brazilian nuclear rapprochement is an example worth emulating. They initiated bilateral efforts towards nuclear rapprochement in early 1980s. During 1985-88, they pursued the issue bilaterally and signed an agreement, which was made legally binding in 1989. Subsequently, they became the members of regional and global non-proliferation regimes by taking the issue to the international forum. This agreement encouraged the countries to seek cooperation in the economic sphere as well. Having realised that closer economic relations facilitated by free trade would further strengthen understanding and mutual cooperation, the two countries persuaded Paraguay and Uruguay to form the South American Common Market (the Mercosur) in 1991. They were joined by Chile in 1996 and Bolivia in 1997. The common market was formed with an objective to enhance trade and investment among these...

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