By Dr Mookhi Amir Ali,
When Shashi Tharoor said that Saudi Arabia can be a good Interlocutor he meant Saudi Arabia can be a very convenient mediator between India and Pakistan. He may now try to explain a different meaning of the word “interlocutor” but he has betrayed his disagreement with India’s persistent stand that there should be no mediation by a third party in resolving the Indo-Pak differences.
Coming days will show if it was the test balloon from the Indian government. One hopes it was, for it is now time for us to realize that over decades now Indo-Pak peace process has been one step forward with two steps backward. All political parties should give up the notion that there is any insult to our sovereignty if we accept the cooperation of a third party to facilitate dialogue and to keep it on even keel.
Remember our 1965 war terminated in Tashkent with the third head of state facilitating the cease-fire. Remember also that what led to the collapse of Vajpayee-Musharraf talks could have been ironed out by the presence of an acceptable third party. This time Shashi Tharoor has not put his foot in the mouth. Deliberately or not, he has spoken a profound truth. We need an interlocutor and Saudi Arabia can be the one to tweak Pak ear if need be.
[Photo by PIB]