·   01 Oct, 2009   ·   24    ·    Discussion Report

The Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies organized a two and a half day Indo-Pak track II dialogue on Conflict Resolution and Peace Building in Bangkok from 5‐7 October 2009, with support from the Ploughshares Fund. The aim of this dialogue was to provide members of the strategic community on both sides with a common platform to discuss issues that plague Indo‐Pak relations and reflect on the possibilities of charting alternative course in the near future. The significance of this Track II initiative was further reinforced by the stalling of the composite dialogue process at the Track I level in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks. The discussions, spanning over eight sessions, touched on a number of issues which are of critical importance in the bilateral rela`tions ranging from analyzing Confidence Building Measures (CBM’s), cross LoC interactions, the Siachen dispute, sharing of the Indus river waters, possibility of forging a common strategy for Afghanistan, expansion of Indo‐Pak trade, the challenge posed by religious radicalism and terrorist violence to evolving better joint mechanisms for countering terrorism. The discussions, not only brought out the Indian and Pakistani perspectives on the issues highlighted above but also helped put forth key recommendations which will contribute towards addressing some of the key impediments that have constrained a forward movement in some key areas of concern in Indo‐Pak relations such as Siachen, enhancement of Indo‐Pak trade, expansion of CBM’s.

Indian Participants

Maj Gen Dipankar Banerjee, Director, IPCS

AVM Kapil Kak, Additional Director, CAPS

Brig Gurmeet Kanwal, Director, CLAWS

BG Verghese, Fellow, CPR

SS Bloeria, Former Chief Secretary, Jammu & Kashmir 

Brig Arun Sahgal, Consultant, IPCS

PR Chari, Research Professor, IPCS

D Suba Chandran, Deputy Director, IPCS

Dhirendera Singh, Member Second Commission on Center- State Relations

Amb KC Singh, Former Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs

Pakistani Participants

Amb Aziz Khan, Former High Commissioner to India 

AVM Shahzad Chaudhry, Former Ambassador to Sri Lanka

Amb Najmuddin A Sheikh, Former Foreign Secretary, Pakistan

Brig Asad Hakeem

Prof Rasul Baksh Rais, Professor, School of Humanities and Social Sciemces, LUMS

Prof Pervez Hoodbhoy, Professor, Department of Physics, Qaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad

Amb Riaz Khokhar, Former Foreign Secretary, Pakistan

Arshad H Abassi, Consultant UNDP