India fears Mush may pull off media coup

Times of India ^ | 6.3.02 | Rajesh Ramachandran

[mhking]

India fears Mush may pull off media coup

RAJESH RAMACHANDRAN
TIMES NEWS NETWORK [ MONDAY, JUNE 03, 2002  8:04:11 PM ]

ALMATY: A war of nerves is on at the Kazakhstan Asian leaders summit where Prime Minister Vajpayee and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf are attending the CICA conference.

It is not cross-border terrorism that is troubling the Indian side most now, but the fear that Pakistan's President might stage another media coup. With his Agra performance fresh in their mind, Indian media managers are in reactive mode, waiting for Musharraf's first move.

On Monday evening, the Indian Ambassador held a reception for the PM at the Hyatt Regency here. Minutes before Vajpayee went in, Musharraf came out of the hotel. "We are from the Indian media, can we have a word with you?'' the Indian scribes asked. Musharraf replied, ``I will meet you tomorrow''. What did he expect from the summit? As he got into his waiting limousine, the General turned around and said, ``I will tell you tomorrow''.

Soon the Indian media managers got to know of this exchange. And there was some speculation about a Vajpayee press conference late Tuesday evening after the bilateral talks with Russian president Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Jiang Zemin. ``We will arrange something'', a senior PMO official promised.

During the summit meeting Tuesday morning, Vajpayee will speak after Musharraf and thus will get an opportunity to rebut Pakistan's allegations. But Musharraf's press conference later in the day would still be a thorn in the Indian flesh and hence the excitement in the Indian camp on how to react.

Meanwhile, India and Kazakhstan signed three agreements: An MoU on military and technology cooperation, an agreement on establishing joint working groups for combating terrorism and promoting tourism. ``Elements that create terror and religious extremism should not be allowed to grow. We expressed our concern on growing terrorism in this area with the Kazakhstan President'', said Vajpayee in a press interaction after the signing of the agreements.

The CICA summit will also see the adoption of an `Almaty Act' and a declaration on terrorism.

[mhking]

Color me curmudgeonly and skeptical, but I've got a REALLY bad feeling about this - especially Musharraf's quote, "Talk to me tomorrow..."

This really smacks of the other shoe getting ready to drop.

[Semper Paratus]

I'll wait to see the results of the Rumster's meetings in the sub-contintent this week.

If nothing is announced and the rhetoric is the same then it's only day(s) from starting.

[mhking]

I almost would prefer that Rummy not go at this stage - It might be much more dangerous for him to be there than not. Perhaps meeting in a third/neutral location would be better, given the climate...

[mhking]

Oh, and notice how Musharraf has eschewed his military fatigues for a well-tailored western style suit. I wonder who he's playing to....

[McGruff]

He should have spent the money on a new rug.

[Semper Paratus]

I almost would prefer that Rummy not go at this stage

I agree, unless Rumsfield has a Godfather* offer to both sides.

* An offer you can't refuse.

[swarthyguy]

He's already pulled of a MONSTROUS coup. He's enshrined the concept of nuclear blackmail.

[Free the USA]

Bump list

[Dog Gone]

Good grief, are the Indians paranoid, or what?? Musharraf brushed the press off until tomorrow, and now they're peeing their pants as if something spectacular is going to happen that will embarrass India.

Sheesh, maybe he just wanted to be left alone tonight.