INDIA: India yesterday lifted its over-flight ban on Pakistani commercial aircraft as the nuclear rivals, under intense US pressure, moved to reduce months of tension.
A spokeswoman in New Delhi said the easing of the 22-week over-flight sanctions, imposed after last December's attack on the Indian parliament, followed a reduction in cross-border infiltration by insurgents from Pakistan into disputed Jammu and Kashmir state.
The US Deputy Secretary of State, Mr Richard Armitage, managed to extract a commitment last week from President Pervaiz Musharraf of Pakistan to "permanently" halt militant incursions into Indian-administered Kashmir. India had said it would reciprocate with a series of "de-escalatory measures" within three days.
"It's not that we have come to a definite conclusion that there is a tangible change (along the border) but certain changes are taking place," Ms Nirupma Rao said; India had a "menu of options available" to respond to Pakistan's assurance of stemming the flow of terrorists into Kashmir.
"This (move to lift sanctions) should be seen as part of our desire for a lasting peace," Ms Rao said, ahead of the arrival of the US Defence Secretary, Mr Donald Rumsfeld, in Delhi tomorrow. Mr Rumsfeld, who travels to Islamabad on Thursday, is expected to further alleviate tension by persuading both sides to de-escalate their forces.
Meanwhile, daily artillery and mortar shelling across Kashmir's disputed Line of Control between Indian and Pakistani troops, in which more than 100 people died during the past three weeks, also dropped sharply.
But army officers on both sides warned that reduced shelling could be temporary.
Official sources said that as a "goodwill gesture" Delhi was sending five warships recently diverted to the western fleet and deployed in the Arabian Sea near Pakistan's coastline, back to their east coast home base.
The five vessels that include a destroyer, a frigate and three missile boats are part of the navy's battle group which, in the event of war, were poised to strike at Karachi harbour that is Pakistan's oil lifeline. But the bulk of the western fleet, India's "naval sword arm", would remain deployed within "striking distance" of Pakistan.
Before Mr Rumsfeld's visit India is expected to announce the reinstatement of its high commissioner to Islamabad and the restoration of bus and rail links with the border city of Lahore - snapped after the parliament strike that was blamed on Pakistan-backed insurgents.
After the attack, India placed diplomatic and travel sanctions on Pakistan and the two sides massed one million troops along their 2,000-mile frontier. The stand-off spiralled last month after militants attacked a garrison in Jammu killing 31 people, mostly soldiers' family members.
A diplomatic effort spearheaded by the US to pull the two countries back from the brink of war has led to both sides toning down their rhetoric. Gen Musharraf said the chances of a war were "minimal", while Delhi pledged to make peace.
Gen Musharraf, however, said the danger of war remained while India maintained its army along the border in a heightened state of alert; he also hoped India would open a dialogue on Kashmir.
