Turkey’s leader on Kashmir

For a variety of reasons, most of them connected in some way to shifts in the tectonics of regional and sub-continental geopolitics, the unresolved matter of Kashmir has risen or is rising to the top of a range of agendas. For decades it has essentially been on the back burner, largely ignored despite UN resolutions and a fluctuating level of tension and human rights abuses within the disputed valley. But now it is an obstacle of many paths, not only those trod by India and Pakistan. India has fought long and hard against any internationalisation of the issue, but is increasingly on the wrong side of history.

The latest voice to call for a resolution and the resumption of dialogue is that of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who on Sunday, April 30^th, called for a settlement of the dispute ‘once and for all.’ This is no coincidence as he is about to start a two-day state visit to India during which he will meet Prime Minister Modi for talks on bilateral, regional and international issues of shared interest — and there are many, Kashmir is not the only agenda item. It is of note that Turkey has opposed the admission of India to the Nuclear Suppliers Group of which Turkey is already a member. Both India and Pakistan have long sought the membership, but have been unsuccessful thus far.

With China and the US both recently weighing in on Kashmir, pressure is mounting and whilst it is encouraging that there are shifts geopolitically, what is absent from all the recent statements supporting and calling for resolution — is a road map. As far as it is known there is no openly tabled proposal as to the mechanics of resolution; a who-does-what-and-how-and-when, a map, or even a sketch, of synchronicities. Neither party has been brought to the table nor anywhere close to it, and even back-channel activity is vulnerable to petty politicking by the media on both sides of the equation if it is exposed. If President Erdogan can in any way grease the wheels of rusted diplomacy then all the better, but we are not holding our breath.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 2^nd, 2017.

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