Mr. Shiv Shankar Menon is a highly respected and experienced bureaucrat if integrity. I am afraind his comments sound very scholrly couched in scholarly language, not easily understand by a common man in India or Pakistan. Being a very responsible diplomat, he naturally can call a pade a spade. The people in both Pakistan and India are tired of the constant friction and passing the buck between the politicians of both countries. The only way to bring peace between the two countries is to solve the Kashmir dispute with a lot of give and take, using the LOC as an international border, subject to some adjustments. Simultaneously, every thing possible should be done with patience and perseverence. Bilateral trade and people-to-people contacts must be enhanced. Social organisations like Red CRoss, Rotary, Lions, Chambers of Commerece and Industries, Students and Professors must freely move between the countries and try to create an atmosphere of mutual trust, respect and confidence. It is also necessary to rope in the Government in Washington DC to exert its influence on Pakistan to come to terms with India. Likewise, India should listen to what Washingtn has to advise India qabout what India should do to Pakistan. Meanwhile, enhance diplomatic and friendly and trade relations with China, besides furter strenthening the existing relations with Russia. All these developments will soften Pakistan's misbeliefs about India. We should also go out of the way to help Pakistan in its economic growth. Pakistan can buy its coal and sugar from India. We should buy oour sports goods and cotton from Pakistan and so on.Patience and hard efforts will pay in the long run.
