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Indo-French strategic talks next week

Ranvir Nayyar in Paris

A high-level team led by Francois Errerra, French President Jacques Chirac's special envoy, will arrive in New Delhi next week for a two-day strategic dialogue with the Indian government on issues of global and regional security.

The Indian delegation, led by Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Brajesh Mishra, will include a large number of officials from the ministry of external affairs, including Joint Secretary (disarmanent) Rakesh Sood, Joint Secretary (Western Europe) B Mukherjee and the Indian Ambassador to France, Kanwal Sibal.

This is the third such exchange between India and France since the exercise began last year at the insistence of President Chirac and Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

The meeting was originally scheduled for April, soon after Easter, but the Kosovo crisis then expanded, enveloping Errerra, who was leading the French initiative on the Balkan conflict.

Since both sides are led by individuals specially appointed by their respective leaders, Chirac and Vajpayee are expected to keep a tab on the discussions and also give them the necessary political thrust.

The dialogue is the first such exercise between India and any other country after the easing of the Kargil crisis. Expectedly, Kargil and the post-Kargil situation will be high on the agenda.

"I believe India will use the opportunity to brief the French delegation about the present situation and the circumstances under which the peace process can be restarted with Pakistan," a diplomatic source in Paris said .

India is expected to display to the French evidence of the Pakistan army's involvement in the Kargil action. If India convinces the French, Paris could once again play a crucial role in bringing around world opinion on this issue. France was instrumental in getting the G-8 group to ask Pakistan to quit Kargil and respect the Line of Control.

A high-level diplomatic source says the current dialogue becomes even more significant in view of two factors -- first, despite the recent foreign secretary-level talks and the committee on defence meeting, both sides still feel the need to hold another round of discussions. It indicates a certain mutual desire to sustain intense interaction.

Second, says the source, is that the talks are being held on the eve of the Indian general election. This indicates a certain maturity in bilateral relations and adds a perspective of continuity and permanence to relations.

"This is a healthy sign. It shows a certain depth in bilateral relations and a confidence that the threads of the dialogue can be picked up by the next government since they are based on fundamental underlying principles and not the convenience of today," says an expert.

Another crucial issue to be discussed at the talks will be the fate of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, which is scheduled to come into force in October, only if all the 44 countries that possess nuclear technology sign and ratify it.

The two sides will also discuss other non-proliferation issues like the Fissile Material Control Treaty, export controls over nuclear technology and the NPT.

France is expected to brief India about its decision to halt supplies of Mirage aircraft and submarines to Pakistan during the Kargil crisis. The French will also brief the Indians about their perspective on South Asia and other multilateral issues of importance for India.

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