Old China Patterns

1 Comment

1. hoss
   09/11/2010 at 1:02 am

   Achutha“I also don’t understand how pakistan can have better relations with India without accepting its regional dominance.”You appear to be confused. Your assumption is that only the trade relations lead to better relations.I look at trade relations as the last elements in relations between the two neighboring countries. From your list only the US and Canada are the two neighboring countries that share similar cultural background and after 1812(the last war between the US and Canada, I assume.), they have been able to maintain cordial relations and have developed trade relations too. On the other hand, we have Japan-China relations, China and Vietnam and South Korea relations, India and China relations, off and on India and Bangladesh relations. We also have Turkey and Greece relations. In most of these cases, the relations are not what they could be, despite several cultural similarities.“a south asian economic zone with a dominant india but with prospering countries around it is not possible or not desirable? It hurts the pakistan soul, but would it hurt the pakistani state?”Dominance, real or not, is an issue it may not appear real to you but Pakistani business and Pakistan establishment also considers that a serious matter. Let us say if India wants to eliminate dominance in relations with Pakistan what, in your opinion, can India do to achieve that goal?Let me also ask you this: what do you think are the three things priority wise that India can do to improve relations with Pakistan? I am pretty much aware of what you think Pakistan can do to improve relations, I am interested in finding out what India can do to improve relations.Since it appears to me that you advocate that better trade relations lead to better overall relations, I am tempted to ask: Can you prioritize three things that will help Pakistan in developing mutually beneficial trade relations with India? Thanks.HayyerJanuary 17, 2010 at 10:44 pm“I was not at all comparing India with China-My point was merely that trade does not imply a proxy relationship.”Developing India and US relations are not just trade relations. The developing military relations coupled with India’s almost secondary position in trading, adds to the thinking that India will act as the US proxy. Like Pakistan for years did. It was Pakistan’s dependence on the US military supplies and economic support that led to Pakistan becoming a proxy state for the US military interest during the cold war. “I asked why India and Pakistan could not be friends if these two causes did not obtrude into the relationship, unless the premise is that India and Pakistan cannot be friends in principle.”Pakistan shares a common cultural heritage with India and that provides a strong platform for better relations but the same heritage also provides major stumbling blocks too. Often the negatives take over the positives. Though at present I don’t think that the Kashmir is a major stumbling block but the narrative developed around Kashmir will perpetuate. We have to somehow develop a narrative that can find a way between the competitive strategic interests that collide. Briefly, India wants to be a regional power and India does not hide it. Pak sees that as a threat and India fails to provide any reason to ease that threat.I will try and finish my article on Kashmir soon.