26 February 2004	Thursday	05 Muharram 1425

NEW YORK, Feb 25: Frank G. Wisner II, a former US ambassador to India and co-chairman of an independent task force on South Asia , has said strong leadership in India and Pakistan bodes well for establishing peace in the region, with a gradual resolution of all disputes, including Kashmir.

In an interview posted on the Council of Foreign Relations website, Mr Wisner says the series of talks starting between India and Pakistan are "the most promising" in recent memory because both the Pakistani and Indian leaders are deeply involved and committed to a rapprochement.

He observed that "while the two sides have been in talks on a variety of occasions in the past, notably after the wars that raged in the subcontinent, never in my judgment have the necessary conditions come together in quite the way that they are coming together now."

Asked to define the conditions now existing, Mr Wisner said: "The first and most important condition is leadership. You have two strong leaders with good bases in their countries and particularly strong constituencies in favour of taking a peace process as far forward as they can move it."

"In other words, for the first time, the two political clocks are ticking on approximately the same time. I have never noticed that, never experienced that before, in South Asia. Usually, you have one weak leader and one strong leader," he noted.

Mr Wisner said: "I think (what) is very important is that the two leaders have set about to handle these talks and negotiations in a very sensitive and smart way.

They have tried to make certain that not one side or the other appears to be getting an advantage. They've done it very secretly. They've kept the press out of it so there was no temptation to score points one against the other.

And they've made it work as well by building confidence, by engaging in measures that actually demonstrate tangibly to Indians and Pakistanis that they can get things done."

Asked whether the US played any role in this effort at rapprochement, Mr Wisner said: "The United States is a very important player." "I have nothing but praise for the way the administration has played its hand, that is, to keep our profile low, not to take credit for progress being made in the course of these talks, not to appear to be a negotiator or a mediator, but really (to act) behind the scenes nudging the two parties forward.