BEIJING: Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir visited Beijing for the third round of Pakistan-China Strategic Dialogue held on 12-14 May 2009. The Foreign Secretary has had extensive interaction with the Chinese side, including separate meetings with State Councillor, Foreign Minister, Vice Foreign Minister and Assistant Foreign Ministers. The entire spectrum of bilateral relations was reviewed and views were exchanged on all regional and international issues of common interest.

The Foreign Secretary conveyed the cordial greetings of Pakistani leaders to the Chinese leadership as well as special message from Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani for Premier Wen Jiabao. The Chinese side noted that President Zardari’s three visits to China within a short span of time since taking office were testament to Pakistan’s strong commitment to the advancement of Pakistan-China relations.

During the Strategic Dialogue, both sides emphasized the deep-rooted and abiding nature of the Pakistan-China relationship serving the fundamental interests of the two peoples and the cause of peace and stability in the region and beyond. It was stressed that the security and stability of Pakistan and China was intertwined and indivisible.

China affirmed strong support for Pakistan’s efforts to advance its core national objectives of security and economic development. China expressed full confidence in the national efforts of the leadership, state institutions, and people of Pakistan to address and overcome the challenges of militancy, terrorism and extremism. In the context of defeating the forces inimical to Pakistan’s security and social stability, China conveyed the commitment to further reinforce its political, moral and material support to Pakistan. China expressed full support for Pakistan’s efforts to safeguard its sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Pakistan.

The two sides agreed to deepen and broaden the Pakistan-China Strategic Partnership in all aspects. They decided to undertake comprehensive and coordinated efforts to promote region-wide peace, security and stability and reiterated their determination to optimally utilize complementarities for the realization of the vision of common development and shared prosperity. They noted with satisfaction the growth in bilateral trade and economic cooperation through mega projects and agreed to identify pragmatic ways to intensify these bonds. China conveyed renewed assurances of continued support to the process of economic development of Pakistan.

The Foreign Secretary conveyed deep appreciation for China’s prompt action in extending emergency relief assistance to Pakistan to meet the needs of the internally displaced people. As part of the Strategic Dialogue, the two sides also covered a broad range of regional and international issues including situation in Afghanistan, South Asia, global financial crisis, disarmament, cooperation in international fora, and the UN.

It was agreed to further pursue the process of close consultations and cooperation on all areas of common interest at the regional and global planes. The Foreign Secretary also met with Chairman of Board of the China Development Bank Mr. Chen Yuan. He also had interface with the Chinese think-tank community and met separately with the members of the China Institute of International Strategic Studies (CIISS) and the China People’s Institute of International Affairs (CPIFA).

The Foreign Secretary’s delegation included Vice Chief of General Staff Major General Waheed Arshad and senior security representatives, officials from the bilateral and multilateral Divisions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and members of the Pakistan Embassy in Beijing. NNI

Pakistan in the past 5 decades has greatly benefited from the astronomical rise of China’s re-entry in the corridors of world power. China has proven to be Pakistan’s time-tested friend and the two countries’ enjoy time-tested brotherly relations. Pakistan and China must focus on developing their relations to the next logical level. Currently, Sino-Pakistani coordination is mostly limited to national security issues such as development of military applications at cost-effective prices and a sprinkle of Chinese investment in Pakistan’s private sector for the development Pakistani industry. Both countries have time and time again identified the need to make their close relations be reflected by increased commerce and trade however this has been limited due to several structural and stability issues on the Pakistani front. Pakistan should focus on ways to fasten regulation and increase incentives for enhanced Chinese investment in Pakistan’s national economy. Cooperation between China and our country – and the ability of Pakistan to take not just from China’s tangible wealth but also to learn how they produced this wealth and regained their greatness can serve the interests of the rising aspirations of the Pakistani people.

Deng Xiaopeng, chairman of the Communist Party of China remarked that it is ‘glorious to get wealthy’. His remark set in motion the events of 1978, when China took steps to de-regulate its command-style economy and the restructuring that resulted in the conversion of the sleepy town of Shenzhen with a population of 5000 people in 1978 to a major world city with a per capita gross domestic product within the city that would compete with Western standards. Shenzhen was the first site of the Chinese experiment with a new form of Chinese communism – one which took some of the tenets of Marxist-Lennism, blended it with Chairman Mao’s desire for self-efficiency, self-reliance and ‘collectivization’, recognized the basic attributes of 5000 years of Chinese culture and psychology, and gave birth to ‘Communism with Chinese characteristics’.

From 1978 onwards, China has liberated over a three hundred million people out of poverty in mainland China. A Chinese middle class has emerged which makes Western multinationals envy the depth of the Chinese consumer’s pocket. While China may have abandoned collective industrial units of Mao or the collective farming societies, China has created a new form of collectivization. Whether this is inadvertent or not is simply not known, but the Chinese Nation thinks with one heart beat when it comes to perceive dangers to Chinese national interest. For example, the typically holier-than-thou patronizing behaviour of the French towards China annoyed the people of China to such an extent that they collectively used the depth and strength of their pockets to ignore French products. This resulted in a downward spiral of profits which were previously being enjoyed by French multinationals in China. At one point, France used to be the #1 destination for Chinese tourists. After the debacle in Paris when the French hosted that imposter the Dalai Lama and dared to intervene in Chinese internal affairs, France’s popularity dropped dramatically amongst the Chinese. The Chinese stood up for their country. France this summer was holding the rotating presidency of the European Union. The Chinese premier rightfully snubbed Sarkozy by calling the E.U-China summit off. President Zardari was able to ‘snub’ Gordon Brown over the illegal Pakistani student arrest issue by refusing to have a joint press conference only to honour Brown’s presence in Islamabad by having our Prime Minister shake hands appear with Gordon Brown in the press conference and Mr.Brown showed neither remorse nor pain for the emotional horror he caused to the families of those ten innocent Pakistani students – a national disgrace for our pride.

Pakistan is not as weak as her civilian leaders make it seem. In the 1970’s, China was surrounded by hostile states. The U.S was considering the possibility of diplomatic relations with the Revolutionary Republic but it remained hostile to China. The Soviet Union and China were increasingly in an estranged relationship and there was a massive military mobilization on their mutual borders and as a consequence there was a genuine split between both countries. China and its neighbour Vietnam were having tensions, while China’s friction with Japan and South Korea remained hot due to both countries hosting American military bases and the conflict in the two Koreas. In between all of this, there was a recalcitrant India under the leadership of Indira Gandhi who had just defeated China’s principal ally Pakistan and she showed signs of wanting to pick a fight with China to avenge the 1962 national humiliation the Chinese delivered to their largest South Asian neighbour in a brief but bitter war. Yet no one could challenge China. China focused on internal development and decided to make itself internally strong.

What began in 1978 transformed the imagination of the Chinese people. In little over a decade, China marched straight to economic progress and technical recovery. By the turn of the millennium, China’s share in global trade took an increasingly upward trend. China averted a South East Asian recession in 2000 when the tech bubble burst in America caused American demand of products from Japan, South Korea, Philippines and Malaysia to decrease significantly. China however in less than 30 years had managed to build up the required capacity to consume those products and hence cushioned the effects of the tech bubble crisis spilling over to South East Asia. Trade and commerce are not just activities for generating employment but should also be used as instruments of foreign policy.

China’s grand stock of over $1.5 trillion in foreign reserves makes it one of the most powerful countries in the world today. While on news we read about Obama announcing stimulus packages, the Chinese are out there too announcing $600billion stimulus packages for their own national economy. While the principal pillar of growth in China since 1978 has been foreign direct investment, in the year 2008 domestic consumption overtook foreign direct investment in size and its totality.

Pakistan needs to learn from China. We cannot just go with a beggars bowl and ask for $500 million every now and then from Beijing. They are our friends and they care for us because they realize the importance Pakistan can play in the emerging world order. But we cannot be part of the new world order that is coming if we remain addicted to peanuts and crumbs because this is making our decadent political elite even more decadent while Pakistanis are unable to realize the Pakistan Ideal.

Pakistan must learn from China. We must focus on developing a holistic trade policy with China. Chinese investment in Pakistan is critical. The technicalities of what China should or should not invest in are a totally different topic, but the main areas need to be mentioned. The need for

• a fibre optic cable connecting Pakistan and China,
• building consumer and cargo railways along the Karakoram Highway,
• enhanced technical partnership,
• enhanced educational partnership,
• and enhanced energy,
• water security, and
• crop production coordination are the areas
• besides defence where China can play an instrumental role.

This will bold well for our national security and help connect Islamabad into a closer orbit with Beijing. The need to promote Mandarin in Pakistan is also needed. While China has instructed many of its institutions to dedicate a certain portion of their staff to learn Urdu (or any other language that would help China), Pakistan has failed to do this. Pakistani officials can sometimes be so insensitive to China that while the Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan was gifting medals and presents to special Pakistani participants in the Special Peoples’ Olympics, Pakistani officials were busy asking Chinese journalists to sit in the back so that foreign (read European and American journalists) could sit in the front while Zardari would unleash the inimitable light he withholds within and which no one can sense or feel at a press conference few months ago. This is not just comical but it is also painful. Get over the hangover that the white man is the master. He is not. We are the masters of our own destiny, as China has demonstrated.

Pakistan is today surrounded by hostile states with the exception of China and the on-again, off-again double-mindedness of Iran. Even though most of us believe the current rounds of tensions with India began after the Mumbai tensions and allegations, this is not true – they merely came to the surface.

• Indo-Pak tensions have been building since 2004 when India unilaterally began constructing dams in Indian-occupied Kashmir, unilaterally violating the Indus Water Treaty and as a consequence severely cutting the water flow of Pakistani rivers and effecting our food security, energy security, and water security.
• Our tensions have also been rising because of Pakistani support to Sri Lanka’s War Agaisnt Terrorism. Our neighbour has been very unhappy of Pakistani assistance in training the Sri Lankan Air Force in precision guided aerial-bombing which has in fact been instrumental in the current success of Sri Lanka in stamping out the Tamil Tiger Threat.

We must not waiver in our conviction that we have the sovereign right to manage our relations bilaterally with who ever we chose to do so and however we choose to do so. We also must have the conviction in ourselves that we have the right to choose how we wish to perceive any 2nd country and for that matter President Obama should kindly focus on the appalling failure of the U.S in Afghanistan and not focus in Pakistan bashing.

However, the emerging dente in America is to de-hyphenate the Western World’s relationship with India and disregard Pakistani and Kashmiri sensitivity with regard to the ongoing occupation in Indian-occupied Kashmir. This emerging dente is the most dramatic change in the South Asia power equation since decades. The only other changes which occurred were the dismemberment of East Pakistan in 1971 and the creation of a Pakistani atomic weapon which had such a profound implication on the regional security of Pakistan. Who does Washington think it is to firstly decide for the entire Western World and also to stab Pakistan in the back once again? Washington is strong in international affairs, but not as strong as it used to be. This creates a creative dynamic in the corridors of world power and Pakistan can manoeuvre smartly if we took the right steps.

What does Pakistan do in the face of a rising pro-India sentiment in Washington? When in doubt, look to Beijing. While we look to Beijing, we should not expect that the Chinese will always be there. Hence we must introspect. While we introspect, we should take Chinese ideas on the sort of actionable change they were able to bring and then we would make the defence of Pakistan impregnable. For now, Pakistan must deeply search its soul and we must all collectively ask ourselves why our parliamentary democracy has failed in living up to the expectations and zeal of the Pakistan Movement. The answer to this is the ‘FM’ word, and feudalism is bad. But the feudal mentality of Pakistan’s decadent political elite reeks of backwardness and is not going anywhere soon. They would rather meet foreign politicians, foreign leaders, and foreign envoys while compete against other feudal-minded personalities’ on how much they are willing to sell our dignity and our sovereignty for a wink (read chance) to sit in the seat of power in Islamabad and the four provinces. Pakistan is in need of a Pakistani Deng Xiaopeng. A man or woman who will display the courage, the audacity, the credentials, and the eloquence needed to march Pakistan to the path of technical capacity, economic prosperity, and intellectual wealth. This will also ensure that a strong sovereign Pakistan emerges which is capable of standing up for its strategic interests externally in this region and beyond. If Pakistan could banish forever the corruption of the feudal mentality, provide some semblance of stability, and adopt ‘Deng Xiaopeng Thought’, then we could really ensure that rooti, kapra, makan would be more than just rhetoric and make it a reality. We could then also aspire for Gari, tahleem, and an avaaz. This voice would be strong and would reflect the imagination of the Pakistani people. Even the moon would be within our reach – as China has demonstrated.

BEIJING: Federal Minister for Youth Affairs Shahid Hussain Bhutto has said that he wants to increase the exchange of youth delegations to visit after every six months instead of yearly basis among the youths of Pakistan and China. Speaking at a reception hosted at Pakistan House by Ambassador Masood Khan for the country’s youth delegation on their last leg of China visit here on Saturday evening, Minister Shahid Bhutto said that he not only support to increase the visit from one year to six months, but also like to enhance the existing strength of 100 to 200 youths.

This step, he said would further help the youths of both the countries to understand each other in a better way. The reception was also attended by Chinese youths, students including those studying Urdu language here in different universities, businessmen and traders working on various projects in Pakistan, scholars, journalists and teachers.

“This is the third group of Pakistani youths delegation visiting China in line with the announcement made by Chinese President Hu Jintao during his visit to Pakistan in 2006 in which he invited 500 youths from Pakistan over the period of 5?Year”, he noted. Likewise, he said that Pakistan was also inviting 100 Chinese youths every year, and the next batch is scheduled in June 2009 in his country.

The Youth Affairs Minister giving details to media on various projects said that Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani in Larkana on Saturday distributed placement orders among the youths under National Internship Programme. To start with, he said that thirty thousand youth will get benefit from this scheme and in the next financial year, we plan to increase it between 50 to 70 thousand.

The minister said that another initiative is the establishment of “Youth Fund” under which financial assistance would be provided to setting up small business. He said that we also plan to initially set up 100 Youth Centers at Tehsil level, where facilities like library, computer and internet connection would be made available from where the youth can get information from all over the world and also find job opportunities for themselves.

The delegation that started their visit from Urumqi on April 17 met and exchange views on youth affairs with their Chinese counterparts. They also visited Beihang University of Aeronautic and Astronautic in Beijing. The President Chinese Youth Federation Mr. Wang Xiau also held a meeting with the Pakistani Youth delegation and discussed matter on Youth affairs with the Minister Shahid Bhutto.

Welcoming the delegation at the Pakistan House, Ambassador Khan said that young people of the two countries have not only inherited the deep rooted friendship, but they are determined to carry it forward to the next generation and the generation thereafter.

In this context, Ambassador Khan said that the exchange of youth delegations, first proposed by President Hu Jintao in 2006 is so important. President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani also attached highest importance to enhance interaction between young men and women of our two countries.

The purpose of exchanges, the Ambassador Khan said is fourfold; to know each other better, to establish contacts, to promote understanding and know each other culture and civilization and lastly to deepen strategic partnership and to strengthen economic relationship between the two countries. Before leaving here from home on Monday, the delegation will meet the Vice?Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee Mr. Wang Zhao Guo at the Great Hall of the people.-APP

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani have discussed the current political situation prevailing in the country. During their meeting at Aiwan-e-Sadr Islamabad on Wednesday, the prime minister briefed the president about the legislative steps being taken for the implementation of Charter of Democracy.

The president apprised the prime minister of his recent visits to Japan and China, particularly the meeting of the Friends of Democratic Pakistan in Tokyo which pledged over five billion dollars aid to Pakistan.
A statement issued by President’s spokesman, Farhatullah Bahar said the two leaders also discussed to convene a meeting of the PPP parliamentarians from the Punjab this week to work out modalities for withdrawal from the provincial government. The move follows the PML-N’s decision not to rejoin the federal government.-SANA

SANYA: Applauding China’s support and help to his country, President Asif Ali Zardari said here Friday that China was a sincere friend of Pakistan. Pakistan was devoted to promoting friendly relations with China, President Zardari said this during a meeting with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on the sidelines of Boao Forum for Asia.

In coping with the challenges of the global financial crisis, Zardari said Pakistan hoped the two countries would increase cooperation in economy, trade, finance and security, which would help strengthen confidence of the Pakistani people in overcoming current difficulties, the Xinhua news reported. Pakistan will keep coordination with China in regional affairs, he said.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said that consolidation and development of Chin?Pakistan relations serve as a priority of his country’s foreign policy. As an all?weather friend of Pakistan, China is ready to offer help for the country’s stability and development, and also welcomes the international community’s constructive role in this regard.

The Chinese premier called on both countries to implement large?scale energy and transportation cooperation projects already signed by leaders of the two countries, and explore new ways to expand bilateral cooperation and bring more benefits to the two peoples.

China is ready to work with Pakistan to safeguard regional stability and peace, Premier Wen added. President Zardari arrived here on Friday afternoon to attend the 2009 meeting of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) from April 17 to 19.-APP

Despite what some American foreign policy hawks, like Kim Holmes (Vice President, Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for International Studies) suggest, Obama-Biden team was spot on when they set “Restoring Our Standing” to be one of the prime objectives of formulating the American foreign policy. Thanks to almost a decade long coercive Bush-era foreign policy; today, America is viewed as a maverick on war path. Survey after survey shows a global decline of American popularity among both friends and foes. Even an association with Bush policy cut short political fortunes of many. British Prime Minister Toney Blair and President Pervez Musharraf are among the few who were sidelined for toeing Bush policy.

With the exception of few successes, like Libyan pledge to denounce terrorism and reverse its nuclear program, rest of the Bush policy is fraught with disasters. Iraqi invasion was a direct manifestation of failed Bush Doctrine. The invasion cost America hundreds of billions of dollars and thousands in human lives. Indian nuclear deal is another example of shortsighted Bush foreign policy. It envisioned a one time Soviet and now Russian ally India to be its linchpin.

Now, some pro-India American hawks are aggressively lobbying the Obama Administration for an extension of Bush policy. They argue: to check the rise of China and the common democratic values make India a natural American ally. Though in reality, India is more of a pseudo-socialist democracy; a far cry from the Jeffersonian democracy. The lobbyists go as far as, wanting to share American national security jewels, like nuclear technology and the land-based laser defense system with India.

At the same time, a concerted effort is in full swing to change Obama’s Pakistan policy. They insist on de-hyphenating India from Pakistan; which will remain a pipe dream as long as India and Pakistan remain entangled over one or the other issue. Most experts believe the two will remain in a belligerent relationship till the root cause of their rivalry, the Kashmir issue, is amicably resolved.

India’s huge population with equally impressive middleclass makes it an attractive trade partner. However, neither its humongous population nor its growing economy is meaningful enough to qualify it to become a strategic ally; especially at the cost of its time tested ally Pakistan or its largest trading partner China. In 2008 India imported only $17.4 billion worth of goods from the US. In contrast, China with far better human rights record and business friendly government imported $67.1 billion worth of goods from the US. In addition, American business giants like Walmart and Boeing are impatiently waiting for Obama administration to reverse the restrictive sanctions Clinton administration placed on China.

Even in the 21st century, India is frequently cited for the worst religious persecution and gross human rights abuses by the human rights organizations and US State Department. In fact, Indian record is far worst than what is attributed to China. Indian conservative cum nationalist parties like BJP have been charged for aiding and abetting the religious extremists in caring out communal violence. These parties openly campaign on anti-minority and nationalist slogans. Their ‘akhand Bharat’ (larger India) rhetoric dominates their political ideology. India is one of the few notable countries that still hold border disputes with virtually all of its neighbors. India’s neighbors accuse its intelligence agency RAW for malicious interference in their internal affairs.

The Indio-US nuclear deal was widely criticized even within the Bush Administration. India has a well known nuclear proliferation record, especially in vertical and onward proliferation. In a 2003 interview, the former Secretary of State Colin Powell expressed his reservations over the deal, “We also have to protect certain red lines that we have with respect to proliferation.” However, former Secretary Condoleezza Rice was the driving force behind the hurriedly concocted nuclear deal. It was a brainchild of Secretary Rice’s counselor and longtime colleagues Philip Zelikow and (Bombay-born) Ashley Tellis.

Experts like David Albright, President of Institute for Science and International Security, in a 2005 testimony before the US House Committee described Indian proliferation, “India’s extensive military and civil nuclear programs are often connected, sharing personnel and infrastructure. In addition, some facilities currently have both a military and civilian purpose.” Indian scientist Raja Ramanna also confirmed, India diverted plutonium from the American-Canadian supplied civilian nuclear reactor (CIRUS) for its first nuclear device.

Again, in an October 26, 2005, testimony before the House Committee Dr. Albright warned,

“This [nuclear deal] could pose serious risks to the security of the United States. If fully implemented, it could catapult India into a position as a major supplier of both nuclear and nuclear-related materials, equipment, and technology. With a weak and poorly enforced export control system, [Indians] could become major suppliers [of] the nuclear weapon programs [for the] adversaries of the United States.”

Why India will not violate its obligations this time around should be a matter of great concern for the Nuclear Supplier Group, especially for the Obama Administration.

Simple facts like dubious Indian nuclear proliferation record and its substandard democratic credentials hardly justify seamless continuation of Bush policy. On the other hand, it would be a colossal mistake to unwind American alliance with its nuclear armed strategic partner of 60 years. Pakistan sits on the crossroads of Middle East and the future Middle East, the landlocked Central Asian States; which is sitting on larger oil reserves then the Middle East. Historically, Pakistan had shown greater tolerance for the State of Israel than other Muslim states. Pakistan has also played a lynchpin role in establishing ties between the US and China, and between the US and the Muslim world. Pakistan stood shoulder to shoulder with America to defeat and ultimately dismantle the Soviet empire. Time tested alliance speaks for itself.

Despite serve criticism, Pakistan is still the front-line state in war against terror. Pakistan has lost more men and material in the war than rest of the countries put together. World is still trying to recover from the blowback of premature American departure from Afghanistan after the Communist Soviet Union was defeated. The departure left both Afghanistan and Pakistan high and dry to fend for themselves. Consequently, the resulting vacuum was filled by the religious extremists, Taliban; who in-turn provided sanctuaries to the terrorist organizations like Al-Qaeda.

Post 9/11 invasion, instead of filling the Afghan vacuum with a political solution punctuated by military muscle, the Bush Administration chose to stay in Afghanistan with guns blazing. Even worst, instead of seeking Pakistan’s advice or heading to their concerns, the NATO installed an anti-Pakistan and pro-Indian Northern Alliance government in Afghanistan. If that wasn’t bad enough, under the garbs of nation building, NATO permitted massive Indian buildup in Afghanistan. The buildup deepened Pakistani fears of Indian encirclement, which resulted in reassembling of the Pakistani proxy, also known as Taliban. Pakistan viewed the eleven Indian consulates dotting its western border as command-and-control centers to destabilize and possibly fracture Pakistan, yet again. It goes without saying, a fractured Pakistan runs the risk of loose nukes in the hands multiple players. If true, India might be playing an extremely dangerous game of global consequences.

Instead of heeding to shortsighted calls of continuation of failed Bush policy, Obama administration should immediately reverse the Bush policy. To begin with, it needs to advice India in no uncertain terms, hands off Pakistan. America should also cease the arbitrary drone attacks that account for overwhelming civilian casualties and results in a severe anti-American backlash.

Obama policy should add political and monetary dimensions to the strategy of winning the hearts and minds of highly alienated Afghans and Pakistanis. Finally, it needs to bring both India and Pakistan to the table to hammer out a long lasting solution to the satisfaction of Kashmiris too. A Kashmir solution reflecting the true aspirations of Kashmiris will go a long way in confidence building and normalization of overwhelmingly contentious Indo-Pak relationship.

VK Krishna Menon was one person who, while remaining under the wings of Nehru, could be considered as the person who probably defined the “Leftist” leanings of our polity and betrayed India’s cause with his links to Soviets and the Chinese. Many prominent high level Ministers and leaders distrusted him at that time. In fact, Sardar Patel (who wanted him out of favor, but could not due to his proximity to Nehru) had appointed a spy on Menon in the UK office, Sudhir Ghosh, PRO at India House. Menon obviously was smart enough to get Ghosh out of UK soon.[2]

During his UK days, Krishna Menon was involved in the “Jeep Scandal”, which was the first attempt by an Indian politician (then a bureaucrat) to weaken the Indian Defense Forces for personal gain (and probably for that of his own Espionage masters – Communist, in this case).

Jeep Scandal: VK Krishna Menon was the High Commissioner to UK, when the deal with a UK company was done to buy the Jeeps for the Indian Army. They were rejected by the Indian Army as they were sub standard. But they had to be used as they had been paid for. Due to the political and media pressure he resigned but was hired as the Union Defense Minister by Nehru. As soon as he became the Defense Minister, the case against the company which was the front, was dropped by the Government.[1]

Menon was also of great interest to the British and US intelligence services. His ambitiion and leftist relationships were noted by even CIA in 1951 [5]:

“The potential for [communist] infiltration of the [Indian] armed forces is probably enhanced by the fact that Defense Minister V. K. Krishna Menon is a member of the extreme left wing of the Congress Party and has associated with known Communists and fellow travelers. He is highly ambitious and would probably cooperate with and accept support from any group which might enhance his prospects for becoming Prime Minister.”

He was also known to take drugs (“illegal recreational drugs”) in his time in UK. The MI5 files describe Menon as “a sick man whose relations with fellows can never be normal or happy” and “utterly unscrupulous…impairing the whole conduct of India’s foreign relations…”[4]

If he had simply done rotten deals as an ambassador, that would still be Ok… but the foolish and the naive Nehru installed him as the Indian Defense Minister AFTER such a scandal! The amount of damage that he did there had been incalculable! Specially given, that it was right during his stint that the Chinese War of 1961 took place and India lost terribly!

FM Sam Maneckshaw took Menon on in the year before the China War on National Security and how Menon had undermined it as the Defense Minister – who obviously was not very happy. The defeat in the war against China was as much due to neglect and treachery of the politicians like Menon and Nehru as due bad preparation and strategy on part of General Kaul.

Even Nehru’s obvious and shameless betrayal of India’s national interest and Defense is noted in Parliament itself![6]

From angry words thrown at India, the Chinese Reds moved to actions against it: the frontier post of Longju in India’s North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA) was seized; Indian patrols were taken prisoner; Nehru made the shamefaced admission that he had kept secret from Parliament the fact that the Chinese two years before had built a road through Indian territory linking Tibet and the Chinese province of Sinkiang.

The uncovering of this piece of critical information about the Chinese designs was a feat of great espionage from the Indian intelligence in London (obviously despite the gaze of Menon!)[7]

An intelligence operative at the Indian High Commission in London who went by the name “Singh” seemed to know about Wignall’s permission from the Nepal government to climb Nalkankar (7,100m) and approached him to see if he could slip into Tibet and climb Gurla Mandhata (7728m). From that vantage point, it would have been easy to pick up information on any Chinese military activity. From the account in his book, Spy on the Roof of the World, Wignall appears to have willingly agreed to be a spy. But he didn’t tell the rest of his team. As it turned out, the Chinese were right when they arrested the three expedition members on the slopes of Nalkankar for being on a spying mission. Wignall managed to gather information even during his detention about a strategic highway the Chinese were building towards western Tibet, and an estimate of the garrison strength at Taklakot. But this information didn’t do the Indians much good, since Nehru and Menon ignored it and were caught unawares when the Sino-Indian war erupted in 1962 during which large numbers of Indian soldiers, including Nepali Gorkhas, were killed in the icy mountains of Arunachal Pradesh and Askai Chin.

How this road – which the Indian Army knew about but was instructed NOT to safeguard .. went onto create the conduit for war ammunition can probably be elaborated by a defense personnel better. But just as Nehru held a secret from the Nation, Krishna Menon, instructed Lt. General Thimayya to NOT safeguard that road which the Chinese constructed with an obvious goal in mind:

Cross-questioning India’s Army Chief of Staff. Lieut. General K. S. Thimayya, he (Morarji Desai) asked when he first knew about the road. In 1957, said the general, and he had offered proposals to safeguard the security of India, but they were turned down by the Defense Minister, lean, rancorous V. K. Krishna Menon. “Why?” asked Desai. “Because,” replied Thimayya, “he said that the enemy was on the other side [i.e., Pakistan], not on this side.”

Such was the treachery of Krishna Menon that General Thimayya had threatened to leave the Army than continue with the betrayal!

Worst is that while the Chinese were occupying the Indian territory, Krishna Menon was making a case in the UN for the Chinese AGAINST the Tibetans! And Nehru was busy drumming up support for himself and his buddy Krishna Menon as the Defense Minister in the Indian Parliament and Press [6] – who were obviously and clearly done in by his eloquence! No wonder, that Indians even today look at this family and its shameless eloquence-sans-substance for our salvation!

At the opening of Parliament, Nehru further dazzled and delighted Indians by warning that “any aggression” against the small states of the Himalayas would be considered as aggression against India, and won cheers with his pledge that “if war is thrust upon us we shall fight with all our strength!” He even took time out to give support and tribute to Defense Minister Krishna Menon and won for them both an overwhelming voice vote of confidence. The very newspapers that had been accusing Nehru for months of dereliction of duty cried their “unreserved agreement” with Nehru’s policy. The Indian Express, formerly his most savage critic, promised that “in his new, bold and unequivocal stand, Mr. Nehru is assured of the unstinted support of all parties and of the people.”

And with the case made, and caution thrown to the winds – wintery and snowy – Nehru went back to his cocoon until a later day… when he would be visited by the entire fury of Chinese War.. and Indian people were visited by the Treachery of its politicians – Krishna Menon and Jawaharlal Nehru.

Last week India appeared to be a harmonious whole, astir with a new sense of its own nationalism. At the west coast city of Ahmedabad, 400,000 people had thronged together to hold darshan with Panditji Nehru and hear him speak. Said Nehru, grandly: “I am trying, and will try, to reciprocate your love.” Up in the Himalayas, winter was closing in. As deep snows and raging blizzards block the high passes, there is a widespread feeling in India that there will be no more trouble with China until next spring or summer. Suppose that then the Red Chinese grab off even more of India’s northern border regions? No one was ready with an answer, but no one seemed to feel the need of one just now. Having blown off steam, the Indian Parliament, press and public was back in the comforting and protective shade of the big banyan tree.

Meanwhile here is what the archives in the British Intelligence [3] say about VK Krishna Menon. The Ms. Tunnard mentioned in this piece is Bridget Tunnard of the Indian League, who was the mistress of this “life-long bachelor”!

These six files document the Security Service´s interest between 1929 and 1955 in the Indian lawyer Krishna Menon, who was a friend of Nehru, Labour councillor for St Pancras and leader of the Indian League in London. He spent most of this time living in the UK, and was appointed High Commissioner in 1947, when his close links to Communists acted to block the sharing of British information with not only India, but also Pakistan, for fear that the two new states would compare their treatment by the British.

A warrant to intercept Menon´s correspondence was taken out in December 1933, identifying him as an “important worker in the Indian Revolutionary Movement”, and his links to Communist circles were quickly established (KV 2/2509, 1929-1941). This file contains numerous reports of Menon´s contacts, activities and speeches, and highlights his role in the anti-war movement. This continues in KV 2/2510 (1941-1944). KV 2/2511(1944-1948) covers his readmission to the Labour Party, from which he had been expelled for his Communist links, and his attempts to gain selection as the party candidate in Dundee and elsewhere in the 1945 general election. It also covers his appointment as Indian High Commissioner in London in 1947.

Menon´s elevation to this post increased the Service´s concerns about him. The Deputy Director-General minuted (in KV 2/2512, 1949-1951) in May 1949: “Whatever his politics may be, and they appear to go fairly far to the Left, MENON is clearly dishonest, immoral an opportunist and an intriguer…whether or not MENON´s retention as High Commissioner is the lesser of two evils, the relations between him and Miss TUNNARD…are of considerable importance.” The matter of Communist influence at the High Commission was raised at the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC), in discussions that were not minuted. A copy of the Director-General´s statement on the subject to the JIC is at serial 148b, and there is a list of suspected Communists at the High Commission at serial 197a. The file also includes suggestions that Menon was improperly using the funds of the India League, and that he was taking illegal drugs (for instance, at serial 199a). This file covers discussions about the impossibility of passing sensitive information to or through the Indian High Commission, and how that in turn prevented similar information being shared with Pakistan.

KV 2/2513 (1951-1953) covers the period when Menon was replaced as High Commissioner by G B Kher, and shows how Kher was frequently embarrassed by Menon acting as if he still represented India in London and forcing himself into various diplomatic events. These tensions continue into KV 2/2514 (1953-1955) which also covers Menon´s attempts to be entrusted with the post of Foreign Minister.

Reference Links:

1. Remembering a War
2. Left out by history
3. British Archives on Krishna Menon
4. ‘VK Menon: A Commie, druggie and lover’.
5. There was a big-time mole in 1961 as well !
6. “The Shade of the Big Banyan”; TIME Dec 14, 1959
7. “I didn’t know they were spies”

WUHAN: Pakistan and China on Saturday signed a Memorandum of Understanding in trade in services to attract investment in services sector. The agreement will enhance the capacity of services providers in the two countries and create new jobs in various sectors including IT.

The agreement also envisages development of efficient services infrastructure and will ensure transfer of technology in all sectors. Under this agreement, China has increased its commitment to Pakistan in several sectors and sub-sectors and liberalized its trade regime. China will give market access in the services sector beyond any other member country of WTO or bilaterally.

Ambassador of Pakistan to China Masood Khan said that the two countries signed Free Trade Agreement in November 2006 and under the agreement signed Saturday the two countries will be able to trade in the services of professionals from each other’s country.

The agreement was signed by Pakistan Ambassador to China Masood Khan and Chinese Vice Minister for Commerce Chen Jian. President Asif Ali Zardari and State Councilor Dai Bingguo also witnessed the signing ceremony.

While State Councillor Dai Bingguo called on President Asif Ali Zardari and exchanged views on bilateral relations between the two countries. The two leaders expressed satisfaction over the pace and direction of Pak-China multidimensional relationship.

The President said the economic partnership between the two countries was of great importance in the emerging volatile global scenario. Both sides agreed that cooperation between the two countries needed to be increased in a more comprehensive manner and discussed future projects for collaboration in various fields.

The two sides agreed that establishment of Pak-China Trans border economic zones and Pak China rail link would go a long way for further strengthening the relationship between two countries. Later the State Councillor also hosted a dinner in honour of President Zardari.

President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday expressed his strongest desire to strengthen the already cordial relationships between China and Pakistan and said China can get access to its ports for trading with the rest of the world. In a joint interview with local television channels, radio and newspaper, the President said that some of the Chinese companies located in central China will find it convenient to trade through Pakistani ports which are nearer than their own. “We will encourage Chinese companies to come to Pakistan as Pakistan is geo-strategically located and provides them access to the rest of the world through its warm waters,” he added.

When asked how he assessed the cooperation and relationships between the two countries, he said these were over 50 years old in which three generations of Bhutto family played a very positive role. “My party and my government want to strengthen these relations which are historical and very vast and we are proud of China’s progress.”

When asked how he will describe these relations in one sentence, he replied it was not possible for him to summarize them.“I wish one million Chinese were in Pakistan and one million Pakistanis were in China and take this relationship to another level.” The President appreciated Chinese media and said it has always been very positive towards Pakistan and played an important role in strengthening the bilateral relations.-SANA

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that Pakistan wanted cordial ties with all its neighbors. The Prime Minister was talking to Chinese Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Wu Dawei who called on him at the PM’s House on Monday. The Prime Minister termed the menace of terrorism as a global phenomenon with Pakistan being its worst affectees. He reaffirmed his government’s determination to persist in its efforts to eradicate this menace and called for collective actions by all the countries in the region. He stated that Pakistan desired de-escalation of tensions with India and hoped that these sentiments would be reciprocated by the Indian leadership, as well.

The Prime Minister regretted the fact that only the elements inimical to cordial Pakistan-India ties and the terrorists had benefited from the situation which evolved in the aftermath of Mumbai tragedy.

Dilating upon the Pakistan-China bilateral relations, the Prime Minister expressed his satisfaction on the ongoing multidimensional ties between the two countries and hoped that this time tested all weather friendship between the two countries would gain new heights in the future.

The Chinese Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs expressed his government’s sympathies and commiseration with the government and people of Pakistan on Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed’s first anniversary.

He commended Pakistan’s matured and restrained approach in the wake of Mumbai incidents and hoped that both sides would continue to show restraint and cooperate with each other in the investigation. He underscored strong desire of his government for peace and stability of South Asian region and resolution of all the bilateral issues between Pakistan and India through dialogue.

Mr. Dawei agreed with the Prime Minister for the need to further expand the multifaceted bilateral cooperation between the two countries in all the fields. He assured the Prime Minister that China would steadfastly stand by Pakistan in latter’s efforts to overcome its present economic difficulties.

He said that besides US $ one billion balance of payment support provided this year, China had recently announced further assistance of RMB 100 million to Pakistan. He said that one of the main purposes of his visit was to discuss the road map for bilateral cooperation in 2009 and identified energy, telecommunications, agriculture and agro-industry as areas on which the two countries should focus for enhanced cooperation in the near future. The meeting was attended by the Advisor to the PM on National Security, Secretary Foreign Affairs and the Chinese Ambassador.

While Chinese Vice Foreign Minister, Wu Dawei along with eight members delegation held meeting with Advisor on Interior for Prime Minister Rehman Malik also. Pak-China relationship and security issues were discussed during the meeting. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister, said that Pak-China friendship is getting stronger and stronger day by day.

Advisor on Interior for Prime Minister Rehman Malik lauded China’s cooperation with Pakistan, adding that Pakistan has arrested members and leaders of outlawed organizations and taken strict actions against them according to UN decisions.

While in his meeting with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani at General Headquarters Chinese Vice Foreign Minister, Wu Dawei to discuss matters of bilateral interest. According to sources, General Kayani highlighted the need to defuse mounting tension between Pakistan and India in the meeting. COAS Kayani further said that it is in the best interest of the region to avoid conflict and to restore peace process. However, various others issued also were discussed in the meeting.-SANA

ISLAMABAD: China would help Pakistan to tackle the environmental problems particularly addressing the climate change issues. China offered assistance for trainings and capacity building for formulating and executing CDM projects in Pakistan. This was agreed in a meeting between Federal Minister for Environment Mr. Hameed Ullah Jan Afridi and Mr. Zhenhua Xie, Vice Chairman and Minister National Development and Reform Commission China.

Both the sides discussed matters possibilities of cooperation between Pakistan and China on the issue of climate change particularly Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). The Federal Minister underlined the need for finalizing the operational modalities for mutual cooperation in trainings and capacity building.

The two sides also agreed to explore areas of cooperation in the field of climate change for which an initial consultation meeting would soon be convened at a mutually agreed place. This development comes at the heels of a Memorandum of Understanding signed between China and Pakistan during the visit of President Asif Ali Zardari to China in October 2008.

Federal Minister also held a meeting with Mr. Yvo de Boer, the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change, in which the Minister informed Mr. de Boer that the year 2009 was declared as the National Year Environment by Pakistan, keeping in view the monumental challenge of climate change and environment facing the global community.

Mr. Afridi invited Mr. Boer to visit Pakistan at a convenient date in the context of celebrating 2009 as the Year of Environment, who accepted the offer. Federal Environment Minister is leading the Pakistan delegation to the United Nations Climate Change Conference at Poznan in Poland.-SANA