As the sole superpower, the US is expected to display greater diplomatic wisdom
Chances of the Ukrainecrisis serving as Washington’s trumpcard leading to diplomatic isolation of Russia are extremely limited. Similarly, escalation of the crisis is least likely to help Russia emerge as a master strategist. If India and Pakistan can agree to disagree on several controversial issues and display wise nuclear diplomacy, what ails major nuclear powers - US and Russia — from exercising nuclear diplomacy without using Ukraine as a pawn? Yes, India and Pakistan have been fairly controversial as permanent enemies. There are issues, particularly Kashmir, they are least likely to ever agree upon. Not surprisingly, when they chose to pursue their respective nuclear proliferation drives, United States and American media in general opposed them strongly. The United States was acutely apprehensive of India and Pakistan taking to MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction) path by pursuing nuclear proliferation drive. US failed to secure both India and Pakistan’s signature to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). It may be noted that Pakistan stayed away from being a signatory to NPT on the ground that India was not inking it. India and Pakistan are certainly well-versed at hurling verbal missiles at each other, a trait frequently indulged in as part of their respective national electoral campaigns. Certainly, regional history is not devoid of bilateral conflicts they have actually indulged in and/or have been at the verge of resorting to. What stands out significantly is that nuclear diplomacy has restrained the two from being engaged in actual conflict.
The highlight of this diplomacy was the six-point accord reached between the then Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Pakistani President Zia-ul-Haq in December 1985, during latter’s visit to Delhi. It was inked during Indian Prime Minister’s visit to Islamabad in December 1988. The two countries agreed in principle not to attack each other’s nuclear installations. The agreement came into force on 27 January 1991. Under the agreement, the two countries, on first January of every calendar year, are to inform each other of Nuclear Installations and Facilities to be covered by the agreement. The first such exchange of lists took place on January 1, 1992. This year marked the 31st “consecutive exchange” of such lists. True, the same thirty-one years have witnessed tensed Indo-Pak ties over Kargil “war” in 1999 and Mumbai terror strikes (November 2008). They did not however reach the stage of any open conflict. Indo-Pak nuclear diplomacy, resting on their bilateral understanding of nuclear deterrence defies fears raised earlier about their nuclear-status leading to MAD in South Asia. Russia cannot be spared criticism for its moves against Ukraine. Neither can these be justified by citing incidents of American indulgence in more aggressive moves in name of Arab Spring and its Afghanistan policy.
Diplomatically speaking, importance of a superpower’s role should rest in limiting escalation of bilateral, multilateral and other differences to stage of any crisis. As the sole superpower, the US is expected to display greater diplomatic wisdom. United States is apparently more concerned about ensuring decrease in power and strength of Russia as well as that of its key ally China. Language used by Washington as well as American media appears to be more focused on hurling diplomatic missiles at Russia and its leaders. United States is certainly targeting Russia with probable purpose of securing Kremlin’s diplomatic isolation and strengthening its own diplomatic stature. Prospects of this decreasing suffering of Ukrainians are virtually non-existent. Russia has not yet lost diplomatic support of its allies. Till Ukraine-crisis lasts, the Ukrainediplomacy cannot be viewed as a success. If India and Pakistan can wisely exercise nuclear diplomacy, why can’t United States and Russia display greater diplomatic wisdom regarding Ukrainecrisis?
(The writer is a senior journalist. The views expressed are personal.)