Now for real talks

First they sulked. Then they talked about talking. Then they talked about what to talk about. Then it was about when to talk.

And now that all that has been decided, India and Pakistan seem to be on their way to getting into a proper dialogue, like mature neighbours should when they have a problem with each other.

Several features stand out this time. One is that Pakistan has agreed to treat Kashmir with the same priority (at least in terms of timing) as all the other issues "" just as India did with China when it decided to put the border issue on the backburner, with heartening results.

India, on its part, has agreed to give up its stand that Kashmir is an internal affair in which Pakistan has no need to interfere. It is willing to talk about it "" as was committed at Shimla 32 years ago.

Third, President Musharraf has been bending over backwards to convey the impression that he detests terrorists and terrorism and will do his best to eliminate both.

The fact that some of them had a go at him not so long ago surely has something to do with this change of heart. After all, only till the other day he was calling them freedom fighters.

Fourth, India has managed to install a democratically elected popular government in Jammu and Kashmir, and this has been functioning well for 18 months.

That was a major achievement and the message has not been lost on either Pakistan or the people of the Kashmir valley, militants included.

Fifth, and very importantly, after the year-long military confrontation, the US has become far more involved in Indo-Pak affairs than it has been since the Bangladesh war in 1971. And this time, it is being even-handed, which has made for a difference in Pakistan's attitude.

There is continuing scepticism in India about what these talks will achieve. After all, the Pakistani state remains feudal and dominated by the military "" with the danger of going overtly Islamist.

The US, in particular, seems happy to deal with military leaders in spite of their many faults; even in the AQ Khan affair, in which Pakistan has been caught proliferating nuclear weapons, there is a willingness to play along "" at least as part of the public charade.

This is par for the course. Therefore, those Indians who expect 'lasting' peace to dawn between India and Pakistan as a result of these talks had better get real.

The two could be daggers drawn again, in next to no time. The forthcoming cricket series is a needless risk. A great deal will also depend on President Musharraf, who can sing a different tune in quick time.

That complicates things because his relationship with the ISI is still a bit of a mystery as the latter's operations in southern Afghanistan show. It is also interesting that while Gen. Musharraf has given up Al Qaeda members, he has not handed over a single Talibani.