PAKPAC: Important Action Request:
Article by Senator Lugar and suggested response

BACKGROUND:

Following is a very important article written by Senator John Lugar in the Washington Times:
”Opportunity in South Asia”

http://www.washtimes.com/commentary/20040125-103752-5064r.htm

This is an extremely important article as it is written by the chairman of the Foreign Relation Committee of the US Senate, Senator John Lugar. ( WE ALL MUST READ THIS)

Senator Lugar has made some very important points in this.

A) He has identified the core issue of Kashmir as being the central reason of conflict between India and Pakistan.

B) The direct and indirect, regional and global costs of letting this conflict and issue go unresolved is discussed in this article.

C) He has proposed some plans to make changes in the region especially in view of the current nuclear situation.

ACTION REQUEST: (This is important, please do take the 5 minutes to do this)

We request you to write to:
Editor at Washington Times: letters@washingtontimes.com
Senator Lugar: senator_lugar@lugar.senate.gov
and to the other members of the Senate Foreign Relation Committee: http://www.pakpac.net/sen_foreign1.asp

This is our opportunity to write about how we feel especially with respect to the following important points:

A) Acknowledge and thank Senator Lugar that he has rightfully identified the central and core issue of Kashmir, which is the most dangerous place in the world. We (The United States) and the world cannot afford, not be concerned about it any longer.

B) Thank him for identifying that the priorities of both countries at this stage should primarily be domestic to improve the lives and the infrastructure of the two countries.

C) The US offer this month on high-tech cooperation, including nuclear energy and missile defense to India is of great concern. The US support to India in the high tech corporation should be tied to India’s ability to actively work towards the resolution of the conflict of Kashmir and to provide equal rights, opportunities, and protection of rights of the minorities in India. The cooperation with India with respect to the nuclear energy and missile defense would lead to an increase in the regional imbalance of power, thus increasing risk of nuclear conflict in the region. We should shy away from any activity which leads to increase in the imbalance of military power in the region

D) The recent information regarding the exchange of nuclear know-how by Pakistani scientists with Iran, Libya and North Korea is of great concern. While there are many possible reasons for this, one has to also look at it as yet another result of the United States previous policy of disengagement from the region. We must retreat from our knee-jerk response of sanctions, disengagement and must make policies with the long term interests of United States in mind. Continued engagement and association of US with Pakistan is of paramount importance at this stage.

E) A healthy, prosperous, moderate Pakistan is extremely important for the region and the United States. We currently have an unprecedented opportunity to work with the people of Pakistan. We must use our resources constructively to help with education, poverty alleviation and build up of infrastructure of the country, and thus overcoming any risk of extremism formation or growth in the area. This constructive model could thus be used as a guide for other high risk areas of the world to follow.