U.S. should play a mediatory role: Karamat

NEW DELHI, JAN. 27. The former Pakistan Army chief, General Jehangir Karamat, today favoured the United States playing a mediatory role between India and Pakistan and said time had come for bilateral peace process to be institutionalised with long- term objectives.

Claiming that the ``time-window'' for boosting Indo-Pakistan dialogue was ``very brief'', Gen. Karamat, first top-ranking former Pakistan military chief to visit here, counselled New Delhi not to miss ``opportunities'' and prolong resumption of talks.

Saying that the U.S. could play a mediatory role, Gen. Karamat, who was in Delhi for attending a seminar, said this was necessary so that if New Delhi or Islamabad faltered, Washington could act as a broker by ``pointing out to two countries their respective limitations''.

``It is up to the U.S. whether they want to be upfront mediator or guiding from the shadows,'' Gen. Karamat said asserting that Washington would be guided by local factors.

On Kashmir, the General, who is known in Pakistan for preferring a graceful exit rather than forcing a showdown with the ousted Prime Minister, Mr. Nawaz Sharif, saw ``positive signs'' saying that political forces were shaping to take over from militant groups. Though conceding that there could be no immediate results, he said the two countries should institutionalise the peace process keeping in view long-term objectives.

Gen. Karamat said in coming times there would be emphasis from both sides to boost economic integration through bodies such as the SAARC, which he said had not been effective in the past.

- PTI

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