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CNN Live At Daybreak

Kathmandu Summit Could Diffuse Tensions

Aired January 02, 2002 - 06:04   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.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: A meeting of south Asian foreign ministers could diffuse tensions India and Pakistan. CNN's Tom Mintier is on the phone from Islamabad -- Tom.

TOM MINTIER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, everyone here in Islamabad is looking and waiting to see what is going to happen in Kathmandu; waiting to see if indeed there is a face to face meeting. If there is a face to face meeting in Kathmandu, that would go a long way to diffuse the tensions here. Now the foreign ministers have gathered for their first session. We are told that both the Pakistani and the Indian foreign minister exchanged greetings at that scene, went inside to closed-door meeting. Journalists were not, of course, allowed inside.

Here in Islamabad the foreign ministry spokesman today sounded almost like calling for an old fashioned dual, saying anytime, anyplace, at any level Pakistan is ready for talks with India. These talks that everyone is waiting and wondering it might happen would probably take place in Kathmandu if indeed they were going to happen. The sidelines of the summit that is currently underway would provide a unique opportunity for both sides to find some way to step back and diffuse tensions.

Later in the week there will be a meeting that includes the heads of state. The Indian prime minister and the Pakistani president will both be attending, sitting across the table from each other. Pervez Musharraf will travel to Beijing first before he goes onto Nepal so everyone is waiting to see if either of these two sessions provide any glimmer of hope of an improvement of relations between India and Pakistan -- Carol.

LIN: Tom, given the United States' latest relationship with Pakistan in the war on terror in Afghanistan, do you see any role for the United States in this latest conflict here between Pakistan and India?

MINTIER: Well I think that role is already being played. U.S. President George W. Bush has called both sides, calling for restraint, calling for dialogue. We've also seen British Prime Minister Tony Blair also on the telephone and he will be in Pakistan next week on the 7th and 8th of January for a two-day visit. So there is amply opportunity for outside involvement. So far there have been a lot of talks according to Pakistani officials over the telephone with third parties that indeed want to be involved in finding some way to diffuse the tensions here, but they say they're still waiting for response from the other side, which has not come so far. That other side being, of course, India.

LIN: All right, thank you very much. Tom Mintier coming to us live from Islamabad.

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