An evolving anti-terror agenda

With the U.S. President, Mr. George W. Bush, making a significant telephonic call to the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, the stage is set for a qualitative dialogue between New Delhi and Washington on ways to launch a genuine international drive against terrorism.

The Bush administration's strategic priority of having to engage Pakistan about America's planned new war on terrorism should not weigh heavily on India's mind as it seeks a new partnership with Washington.

New Delhi's direct stake in the planned international agenda of extinguishing terrorism is in a large measure related to India's Kashmir-centric worries and Pakistan's ability to stoke them in a sustained manner... .

New Delhi is obviously keen to ensure that any virtual war cabinet of the world looks beyond the suspected sources of America's troubles.

The contours of a possible coalition are still far from clear. It is debatable whether the United Nations, which does not seem to command the resources to combat terrorism, can indeed bring a task force into being.

The U.S. Secretary of State, Gen. Colin Powell, has made a significant observation while clarifying that the composition of a coalition is unclear at this juncture.

The U.S., in his reckoning, will take into account the sensitivities of Pakistan which is reported to have insisted that neither Israel nor India should be co-opted if America were to expect Islamabad's assistance.

He may have confirmed Pakistan's condition in this regard, but it is important that he is confident of an appropriate and necessary decision in due course.

So, while New Delhi may still have time to firm up the operational aspects of its participation in a U.S.-inspired alliance against terror, India should do so consistent with its own strategic and political independence, mindful of the fact that it has been a direct victim of terror in Kashmir and also in New York where a large number of Indians are presumed lost.

-- The Hindu, New Delhi