ISLAMABAD -- "If Indian troops moved a single step across the international border, or Line of Control, they should not expect a conventional war from Pakistan." These remarks by Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf were a chilling reminder of the threat to peace posed by volatile Indo-Pakistani ties.
Pakistani officials were quick to say that Musharraf was not implying that nuclear weapons might be used. But opponents of proliferation infer such a possibility from any reference to nonconventional war.
As the effects of such a conflict would be felt far beyond the subcontinent, the international community has a vital interest in nudging the two sides toward more stable relations. To this end, it can take steps in several areas.