At last India and Pakistan announced they have agreed to mutually resolve all issues about the treatment of diplomats. The agreement follows claims and counter-claims by the two countries about harassment of each other’s diplomats in line with the 1992 ‘code of conduct’ for treatment of diplomatic/consular personnel. The Code provides for “smooth and unhindered functioning” of the diplomatic and consular officials of the two countries in conformity with the international laws without violating their privileges and immunities. It also says that the two countries should not resort to intrusive and aggressive surveillance and actions such as verbal and physical harassment, disconnection of phone lines, etc. In its 16th ‘Note Verbale’ to the Pakistan Foreign Ministry on March 22, the Indian High Commission specifically mentioned three incidents of harassment of senior officials. Pakistan had claimed that there had been as many as 26 instances of harassment and intimidation of its diplomats since March 7, following which Islamabad called back its high commissioner Sohail Mahmood for discussions on the issue. In 1999 the two signed the Lahore Declaration, the first major agreement between the two countries since the 1972 Simla Accord. Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to the Simla Accord, and agreed to undertake a number of ‘Confidence Building Measures’ (CBMs). Some of the diplomatic gains were eroded, however, after the Kargil conflict broke out in May 1999. Pakistani forces and Kashmiri terrorists occupied strategic positions on the Indian side of the LoC, prompting an Indian counter offensive in which they are pushed back to the other side of the original LoC. The latest turn of events at the diplomatic level was said to be the worst since 2002-03. At that time too, India and Pakistan had accused each other of harassing their diplomatic staff. Earlier Pakistan had withdrawn from the World Trade Organisation (WTO) ministerial meet called by New Delhi giving some uncomfortable moments with the objective of facilitating an exchange of views on various issues and challenges relating to multilateral trading system. This was the second mini-ministerial meeting being hosted by India. The first was in 2009.Hope the thaw in the diplomatic relations would pave way for a dialogue on Kashmir!
