EU politely snubs Krishna’s censure of aid to Pakistan

Foreign minister SM Krishna got a polite snub in Prague during the India-EU ministerial troika meeting last week when he tried to argue against non-military financial assistance to cash-strapped Pakistan.
Krishna met Czech foreign minister Jan Kohout and commissioner for external relations Benita Ferrreo Waldner on June 29.

While discussing the situation in Pakistan, Krishna spoke of India’s uneasiness over the huge financial aid being poured into Pakistan by the US, EU and Japan. While India has no problems with money given for development assistance to Pakistan, the fear is of its misuse.

The minister said that going by past experience Pakistan often diverts funds to equip, train and support India-specific terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, its front the Jamaat-ud-Dawa, the Jaish-e-Mohammed, or any new group that is formed to carry out terror strikes in Kashmir and in various major towns and cities in the Indian heartland.

The EU delegation listened patiently to Krishna. All of them condemned the Mumbai attack and sympathised with India’s outrage. They said they understood India’s point, now even the Americans are providing funds with strings attached to ensure that the money meant for schools, hospitals and wells are not diverted.

But they also said that the military alone cannot fight terror. Despite the risks, the international community had to pay for development as it was the best way to fight the jihadis and extremists.

“We understand India’s concerns. We have the same worries that the money should be used for development. But the choice is between a stable Pakistan or a country that is eventually taken over by the jihadis, which will be even more dangerous for India and the rest of the world,” a New Delhi-based western diplomat said.

The international community is of the view that unless Islamabad delivers on good governance, fundamentalist forces will gain the upper hand and preach a violent form of Islam to poor people. Indian officials say New Delhi senses the international mood but believes it is still important to make the point of military and non-military assistance.

Many experts also believe that it does not do India’s image any good to comment on development assistance to Pakistan.