Neither a Hawk Nor a Dove: An Insider's Account of Pakistan's Foreign Relations

The book is the first comprehensive account by a Pakistani Foreign Minister who directly contributed in moving the peace process with India forward. This was hailed as the most promising dialogue between Pakistan and India since Independence. It provides a detailed analysis of the Kashmir issue and the complex Pakistan-US-Afghanistan-India quadrangular relationship. Kasuri believes that, whenever two statesmen are at the helm in India and Pakistan, for improvement of relations, they would have to revert to the framework formulated during the author's tenure as Foreign Minister. The author speaks frankly about his Indian counterparts, Pranab Mukherjee, Natwar Singh, and Yashwant Sinha, and also about Manmohan Singh and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Rare insights are provided into the workings of the Pakistan Army, the contributions of the Foreign Office, and the author's warm but complex relationship with President Pervez Musharraf. He also writes about Pakistan's vitally important and close relations with China, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Iran. On Bangladesh, his comments reflect great nostalgia for old connections. The narrative is intricately balanced with the author providing interesting anecdotes, both personal and political, alongside his observations on serious issues. Importantly, on foreign policy matters, he has shown objectivity in dealing with those on the other side of the political divide.

Table of Contents:
Preface 1. Pakistan's Security Dilemma: Quest for Strategic Balance Section I The Context Family: Opposing Influences My Paternal Family My Maternal Family My Schooling-Almost An Ideological Issue with My Parents Fane Road Residence: An Open House Section II Pakistan's Security Dilemmas and Quest for Strategic Balance Early Years: Troubled Relations with India Assessing Liaquat Ali Khan's Western Tilt Pakistan-US Alliance: An Intricate Balancing Act India and Afghanistan Warming of Relations With China: 1963-1971 Independent Foreign Policy: 1972-1977 The 1974 Islamic Summit in Lahore Revival of Pakistan-US Alliance over Afghanistan: Its Repercussions The 1990s: Decade of Missed Opportunities The Fallout of Nuclear Tests by India and Pakistan Pakistan's Troubled Relations with the Soviet Union/Russia The 9/11 and its Aftermath Section III Assuming Office: Some Background Historical Distortions and Lessons Cultural and Artistic Fusion Fault lines in Pakistan and India Indian Muslims Pakistan's Geo-Strategic Significance Pakistan's 'National Interest' 'Peace with Honour' 2. India: 'A Road Less Travelled' Return from the Brink The Agra Summit Vajpayee's Second Visit to Pakistan in Five Years The Handshake that Changed History India-Pakistan Joint Press Statement of 6 January 2004 in Islamabad America's Role in Pakistan-India Peace Process Generating Momentum for Peace Out of the Box Thinking Natwar's Productive Visit to Islamabad Backchannel Established Musharraf Visits Delhi in a Carnival Atmosphere Irreversibility of the Peace Process Crossing the Rubicon: The Bus Service Across the LoC The Drama of L. K. Advani's Visit to Pakistan Kashmiri Leaders' Visit to Pakistan Indo-Pak Showdown in New York I Invite Natwar to Nathiagali where Ayub Khan had Invited Nehru A Case of Good Cop/Bad Cop? Water Disputes: A Major Threat to Peace Why Dialogue Survived Despite 2006 Mumbai Train Bombings A New Dynamic at Work The Lingering Issues of Siachen and Sir Creek 3. Interrupted Symphony: Contours of Backchannel Settlement on Kashmir Kashmir: The Evolving Positions of Pakistan and India A New Kashmir Resolution? Our Success in Preventing Deletion of Kashmir from the UN Agenda The Envoys Conferences Why the Backchannel? Framework for a Kashmir Settlement Contours of the Agreement on Jammu & Kashmir Centres to Wean Militants Away Through DDR Common Policies Towards Development Line of Control: A Line on the Map An Evaluation of the Possible Settlement A Response to the Criticism Of Our Policy on Kashmir The Way Forward Agreements for Resolving Issues Involving Disagreements The Media and the Peace Process Promotion of Friendly Exchanges Views of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Mahatma Gandhi on Friendly Relations Between India and Narendra Modi's Victory: Its Likely Impact 4. The Pakistan Army and India: My Interactions and Observations Pak-India Wars and Near-War Situations Near-War Crises Brasstacks The Kashmir Crisis, 1990 The Kargil War The Mumbai Attacks My Interactions with the Pakistan Army Generals 'From North Waziristan to Karachi!' Dixit's Bombshell! My Relationship with President Pervez Musharraf and the and the Issue of My 'Resignation' The Pakistan Army: An Obstacle to Peaceful Relations With India? 5. Afghanistan Common Historic, Religious, Cultural, and Ethnic Bonds Pashtunwali Close People-To-People Contact An Early Case of the Pashtun-Tajik Rivalry The Idea of Pak-Afghan Confederation Exchanges with Different Ethnic Leaders Contrasting Narratives about the Security Situation in Afghanistan My First Visit Abroad As Foreign Minister Karzai's Inflammatory Message Prior to His Visit Fireworks at the Aiwan-e-Sadr Karzai Asks Me: 'Why Does Pakistan Look Down Upon The Afghans!' Pakistan at the G-8 Conference on Afghanistan in Potsdam Pak-Afghan Bilateral Relationship Equitable Sharing of Common Water Resources Pak-Afghan Economic Cooperation: Full Potential of Trade Unrealized Pakistan is Key to Solution in Afghanistan Recent Positive Developments 6. Pakistan and the United States: 'The Odd Couple' Historical Perspective Escape from Tora Bora Seventy-Six High-Level Interactions in My First US Visit! The Issue of National Security Entry-Exit Registration System US Facilitation on Pak-India Dialogue Rumsfeld Takes a Hard-line on Iraq The US Congress Supportive Cross-LoC Movement Afghanistan The Issue of Pakistani Prisoners in Guantanamo Bay in the US and in Afghanistan Raised Forcefully Pakistan's Opposition to the War against Iraq The A. Q. Khan Saga Strengthening Pakistan's Nuclear Oversight Concern about Attack on Iran Bombing of Lebanon and Tensions with the United States Pakistan and the United States: 'Weekday Meeting' at a 'Weekend Retreat' Pak-US Relationship Broadened Declaration of Pakistan as a Major Non-NATO Ally Reimbursement of Coalition Support Funds Economic Cooperation Pakistan's Reaction to the Indo-US Agreement on Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy Meeting President Bush at the Oval Office Bush Visits Pakistan: All Lights Turned Off A Matter of Protocol Strategic Partnership FATA Peace Agreements with Militants? Dick Cheney Visits Islamabad to Voice Concern about the Situation in Waziristan Reforms in FATA Drone Attacks in FATA Pakistan: A Friend or a Foe? How the Government Handled Lingering Negative Perceptions on Both Sides Pakistan-US Relations: Likely to Endure Despite Problems 7. Pakistan's Diplomatic Outreach: Proactive Engagement with the World China: Strengthening of our Strategic Relationship Nuclear Power Plants The Silk Route Pak-China Economic Corridor from Gwadar to Kashgar Chinese Experience and Lessons for Pakistan, China, and India Human Resource Development and Educational Reforms in China Russia The Complex Relations of Some Leading Muslim Countries Saudi Arabia: A Reliable and Trusted Friend The Gulf Region Turkey: Special Relationship with Pakistan Trilateral Dialogue Iran: Old Cultural and Historic Bonds Meeting with the Israeli Foreign Minister: A Politically Risky Enterprise Bangladesh The Bihari Issue Improving Relations with Britain The Commonwealth: 'A Club of Former Slaves!' The European Union Japan The International Community's Heart-Warming Response Following the Earthquake 8. The Foreign Office Section I Does the Foreign Office Formulate Foreign Policy Historical Perspective Pakistani Diplomats The Golden Age of the United Nations The Coordinating Role of the Foreign Office in the 1960s Active Role of the Foreign Office in the Opening-up of Relations towards China Pakistan without a Foreign Minister during the 1971War Zulfikar Ali Bhutto: A Deep Imprint on the Foreign Policy of Pakistan Revival of the Active Role of the Foreign Office, 1972-1977 The Afghan Jihad and Decline in the Role of Foreign Office A Period of 'Systemic Failure' The 'Palestine Initiative:' Go Slow Approach Adopted The Role of the Foreign Office After 9/11 Invaluable Role of the Foreign Office in Ensuring Civil-Nuclear Cooperation with China Indispensable Work of the Foreign Office The Foreign Office and the 'Backchannel' on Kashmir Need for a High-Level Inter-Ministerial Coordination Committee An Effective Foreign Office Team Periodic Consultations with Former Foreign Secretaries and Others The Growing Importance of Women Foreign Service Officers Misperceptions about the Quality of Life of Pakistani Diplomats Section II The Role of Personal Relationship in Diplomacy Media and Public Diplomacy Index

About the Author :
Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri hails from an illustrious political family of Pakistan who played an important role in the subcontinent's Independence Movement. He was educated at the Universities of Punjab, Cambridge, and Oxford, and was called to the Bar from Grays' Inn, London. Kasuri took active part in various political movements striving for democracy in Pakistan including the PNA (Pakistan National Alliance), MRD (Movement for Restoration of Democracy), and the PDA (Pakistan Democratic Alliance) movements. Like his father, uncle, and grandfather who were all active in the Independence Movement and for which they underwent imprisonment, Khurshid Kasuri was also incarcerated on various occasions for his political activities.