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CNN Live Today
Rumsfeld Arrives in India
Aired June 11, 2002 - 12:14 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says dirty bomb suspect Abdullah al Muhajir may never stand trial. He says the nation's top priority is strictly to find out what al Muhajir knows. Rumsfeld made the comment on the way to the troubled India- Pakistan region, where he just arrived.
For more now on that, we go to Satinder Bindra. He's in New Delhi -- Satinder.
SATINDER BINDRA, CNN NEW DELHI BUREAU CHIEF: That's right, Kyra. The defense secretary just touched down here about 10 or 15 minutes ago. Now he is scheduled tomorrow to hold meetings with the Indian leadership and then he proceeds to Islamabad, Pakistan. Of course he is coming at a time when the threat of war in this region has receded somewhat. In fact, the defense secretary has even said, quote, that "...tensions are tapering off."
But he'll be seeking every available opportunity while he is here to get some more diplomatic traction going.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): Defense sources tell CNN a fleet of Indian ships deployed along Pakistan's coast is now being pulled back. New Delhi is also reopening its airspace for Pakistani planes. And just as U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld arrives here, India has also selected a new high commissioner, or ambassador, for Pakistan.
With such moves, many analysts believe the threat of war is now receding. Damayanti Tambe is relieved. Her husband, flight lieutenant Veejay Tambe (ph), a fighter pilot is still listed as missing in action 31 years after India fought its last war with Pakistan.
DAMAYANTI TAMBE, WAR VICTIM: I feel that there is nothing one can gain by fighting wars, as opposed to what you would be losing in terms of human beings and their families suffering.
BINDRA: The international community has been just as concerned, fearing the outbreak of any hostilities could spark off a nuclear war. The tensions, however, de-escalated, when Islamabad told a visiting U.S. envoy it was willing to put a permanent end to the infiltration of militants from Pakistan to India. (on camera): Still, for all the recent success of U.S. diplomacy, this crisis is far from over. Both India and Pakistan have an estimated one million troops deployed along the border in a state of high alert.
(voice-over): New Delhi says its troops will stay in the disputed region of Kashmir for at least another few months.
JYON MALHOTRA, ANALYST: You have elections in (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and Kashmir in October. Until then, the army will remain on the border because you -- right now you don't completely trust Pakistan.
BINDRA: Indian officials say Secretary Rumsfeld will clearly be told Pakistan must pledge to shut down what New Delhi calls terrorist training camps, which for years have been breeding hatred.
COMMODORE UDHAY BHASKAR, DEFENSE ANALYST: The central theme was that, down with America, down with India, down with the Jews, down with the Hindus. You know, this kind of hatred that was constantly be injected into the system. It's this kind of an infrastructure that has to be dealt with.
BINDRA: Many Indians believe Secretary Rumsfeld will listen and pass on the message to Pakistan, at a time when India and the United States say they are united in their fight to defeat terrorism.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BINDRA: And, Kyra, the defense secretary will look at how India can better fight terrorism without really threatening Pakistan. He'll also look to perhaps establish a better verification process along the line of control. And of course he'll continue to put more pressure on India to make more diplomatic, political and other concessions to Pakistan so both sides can sit together and have a dialogue -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Satinder Bindra with the latest from New Delhi, thanks.
And, of course, on the other side the very volatile border of Pakistan.
Chris Burns brings us their perspective.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Selling anything can be tough. In this marketplace in Rawalpindi, we take a pulse check on what may be the toughest sales job of all in Pakistan, the government's policy aimed at avoiding war with India over Kashmir. President Pervez Musharraf risks losing support by blocking Muslim militants from crossing the line of control in Kashmir to battle Indian forces and by shutting own the militant's camps.
General Musharraf demands, however, that India reciprocate with talks on Kashmir. If India does not come through, how shaky is support for a leader Washington is depending on in its war against al Qaeda? "I'm totally against President Musharraf's decision," says this opposition supporter. "Kashmir is ours. Kashmir is the artery of Pakistan. We will fight to the last drop of our blood."
Plastic sheeting merchant Hamad Ula (ph) knows how hard it is to sell, and he buys Musharraf's policy to stop the militant's campaign.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because this is not good for both countries.
BURNS: But like most other Pakistanis, Ula (ph) calls the militants mujahideen, holy warriors, freedom fighters. At least some of whom are calling Musharraf a traitor for cracking down on them. That's why analysts here say Musharraf needs negotiations with India on Kashmir as a reward for Pakistani patience.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, first of all, there is no dialogue. I think there will be a great deal of frustration. So the danger would be ostentibles (ph) trying to destabilize Pakistan itself.
BURNS: Destabilize with terror attacks. Militants were blamed for this one on a church in Islamabad in March. It killed five people, including an American and her daughter. Forty-two others were wounded.
(on camera): The fear is more attacks like the one at this church could scare away or keep away expatriates and international investment. That could hurt Pakistan's struggling economy. And analysts say, ultimately undermine President Musharraf himself.
(voice-over): Musharraf's political survival is, at least for now, seen as secure. He won last month's referendum, extending his rule for five years. Though doubts linger about the fairness of the vote. Parliamentary elections are set for October.
Musharraf is aware that continued popular support depends on how he sells his Kashmir policy to a skeptical public and how well he can keep the militants at bay in Kashmir, as well as in his own country.
Chris Burns, CNN, Islamabad, Pakistan.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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