The Rediff Special /J N Dixit
One must anticipate negative pressures on Indo-Iranian relations
from the United States, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia
Iran conveyed clear signals that the change of government in India
or the impending change in the presidency of Iran will not affect
the content and continuity of Indo-Iranian relations when the
person perhaps likely to succeed President Rafsanjani, the speaker
of the Iranian Majilis, Hojatelislam Ali Akbar Nateg Noori, visited
New Delhi for extensive discussions with our government late last
year. It is in this context that Gujral visited Teheran.
He had substantial discussions with President Rafsanjani and Foreign
Minister Velayati on bilateral relations as well as regional developments.
On all counts this recent meeting of the Indo-Iranian Joint Commission
produced concrete results. It was agreed to increase the volume
of bilateral trade between India and Iran beyond the present volume
of US $ 1 billion. A decision was also taken to diversify
the structure of bilateral trade to help expand the volume of
commerce between the two countries. Decisions have been taken
to ensure more effective implementation of the provisions of the
bilateral maritime navigation agreement providing for establishing
links between Bombay and Bandar Abbas and the multi-nodal and
container transportation agreement.
Decisions have also been taken to expand bilateral scientific,
technological and cultural co-operation. The most significant agreement
signed was the tripartite agreement on trade and transit facilities
between India, Iran and Turkmenistan. Gujral, Velayati and Turkmenistan
Foreign Minister Sekhordove signed the agreement providing for
a sea and land route connecting the west coast of India to Bandar
Abbas in Iran and on to Sarakhas in Turkmenistan.
India is also a party to the multilateral agreement providing for a rail link through
Iran to the Central Asian Republican Estimates are that the cost
of India exports to Central Asia could be reduced by nearly on
third, once transit facilities envisaged in this agreement become
operational.
Gujral utilised the visit to have a detailed exchange of assessments
on developments in Afghanistan. The relevance of continuing Indo-Iranian
contacts to encourage the stabilisation of the situation in Afghanistan
was reaffirmed by Iranian leaders. Our external affairs minister
had the opportunity of briefing Iranian leaders in detail about
Indian concerns about Kashmir and the support that the Taliban
are giving to Pakistani cadres and Kashmiri separatists perpetrating
violence and generating instability in Jammu and Kashmir.
Gujral indicated that India and Iran had shared perceptions of the manner
in which the unity, independence, sovereignty and territorial
integrity of Afghanistan should be maintained. He also said that
Iran and India believed that all types of foreign interference
in Afghanistan must cease for the restoration of peace and normalcy
in that country.
An important element in Indo-Iranian policies
towards Afghanistan is that Gujral and the Iranian leaders agreed
that a solution to the Afghanistan problem should be found through
efforts and mechanism of the United Nations. India and Iran agreed
to co-operate with each other to facilitate a more effective role
for the UN to deal with the critical situation in Afghanistan.
Indo-Pakistan relations and the situation in South and Central
Asia were also reviewed during Gujral's discussions.
Gujral indicated that Iran was appreciative of India's more recent
policy orientations towards its neighbours. It was also agreed
that Iran and India should co-operate in encouraging the Central
Asian Republics to join the mainstream of Asian regional politics
and in fashioning collective policies aimed at creating a stable
security and strategic environment in our region. The process
of consolidation of Indo-Iranian relations is of importance to India
and of mutual benefit to Iran and India.
One must anticipate negative pressures on Indo-Iranian relations
from the United States, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. If the Taliban
succeeds in consolidating its hold over Afghanistan, Afghanistan's
relations with both India and Iran will go through a tense phase
in the short term. India and Iran will have to deal with this
predicament on the basis of their shared concerns and mutual trust.
Gujral's visit has strengthened the basis of Indo-Iranian co-operation
in all these respects.
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