"After our youngest son had seen Star Wars for the twelfth or thirteenth time, I said, "Why do you go so often?" He said, "For the same reason you have been reading the Old Testament all of your life." He was in a new world of myth." Bill Moyers, interview with Joseph Campbell
There
are no permanent enemies, US tells India, Pak
There
are no permanent enemies, US tells India, Pak
Washington,
July 17: Asking young Indians and Pakistanis to learn from
the key "principle" of US foreign policy that "there
are no permanent enemies", a top American diplomat has
in a pep talk told them to promote tolerance and understanding
for lasting peace between their countries.
"Your
dedication to religious and cultural tolerance, coexistence,
and dialogue is important to achieving lasting peace,"
Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte told a group of
32 teenagers from Mumbai and Lahore at the State Department.
The
top Bush administration official was participating in the
"Seeds of Peace" Programme, an event attended by
senior officials at Foggy Bottom and the diplomatic corps
including the Indian Ambassador Ronen Sen and Pakistani envoy
Husain Haqqani.
"Progress
is often frustratingly slow, and worse, sometimes suffers
major setbacks.... A principle of US foreign policy is that
we have no permanent enemies. This principle challenges us
to imagine that our enemies today can be our friends tomorrow,
and to work to make that vision a reality," Negroponte
said.
On
relations with India, the official said the "strategic
partnership" covers a wide variety of areas education,
science, agriculture, security, environmental stewardship,
and counter terrorism.
"Together,
we are working to solve some of the biggest challenges of
our time, including energy security and nuclear non-proliferation,"
Negroponte said in his brief remarks.
"Pakistan
is also a key American partner. We are working closely with
Pakistan's government and people to improve economic development,
resolve food and energy problems, and counter violent extremists,"
he added.
Educational exchanges, the official said, are central to
our efforts to deepen ties between the American people and
Indians and Pakistanis.
"I
encourage you to seek out opportunities at home to support
tolerance and understanding.... Equally important is holding
on to your ability to imagine a peaceful, hopeful future...
Imagination is an underrated part of foreign policy.
"I
know it’s often difficult, after decades of war and conflict,
to imagine that the future could be not only different, but
better," the senior official said.
The
teenagers from India and Pakistan had spent three weeks at
a Camp in Maine and are now on the way home after a brief
visit to Washington where they had the opportunity to interact
with administration officials and on Capitol Hill.
Negroponte
as also the top envoys of India and Pakistan later mingled
with the students.
Assistant
Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Richard
Boucher pointed out that what was important is not to look
at what can be done next summer but some ten and twenty years
down the line.
"You are all going to make it happen," he said.
Speaking
on behalf of the Indian contingent, Parasit Chaudhry said
what was striking was the kind of love and affection shared
by all students that reflected a different version and mindset
of the conflict between India and Pakistan.
"We
learnt from each other... we developed a bond that cannot
be broken by distance," Chaudhry said, adding the discussions
and the debate were "very intense at time" but the
group came out with a better understanding of "tolerance,
respect and trust".
"You
need courage to talk and listen," said Divya Saini, representing
a group of several youngsters from the two countries in an
informal session.
Another
youngster from India blamed the distortions in textbooks and
by the media for the confusion.
"Clearly
the media is very biased and so are the textbooks...they are
creating confusion leading to conflict," said Juhi Shah,
adding that the changing perceptions will have to start with
the youth.