Kasuri’s book ‘Neither a Hawk,Nor a Dove’ to be launched in September

Islamabad
Former foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri's book 'Neither a Hawk, Nor a Dove' on Pakistan's foreign policy will be launched in early September. Interestingly, the book's title is based on the first line in the book in which former President Pervez Musharraf has been quoted in his very first meeting with the new foreign minister as asking him pointedly, "Are you a hawk or a dove towards India, Kasuri Sahib?"
The book has been published worldwide by Oxford University Press. It will be published in India by Penguin. It may be pointed out that two internationally established publishing houses has agreed to publish the same book, which is very rare. The book contains the first ever inside account by someone who took part in the developments at the official level on Kashmir with his Indian, European, and American counterparts and also gives details regarding the backchannel negotiations on Kashmir and the peace process during 2002 to the end of 2007 regarded by keen observers and analysts of International Affairs as the most productive peace process between Pakistan and India since independence.
Khurshid Kasuri has updated the book to early 2015 including the advent of Narendra Modi as prime minister in India and has analysed the situation regarding the latest developments in India, Afghanistan and on Pak-US relations based on his experience of dealing with these countries as foreign minister. He has besides giving an account of the developments in the peace process under the former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh, has also given an account of his interactions with the leadership of the BJP since the peace process started under former Indian prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
He has also shared details of his interactions with his three Indian counterparts, Pranab Mukherjee (Now President of India), Yashwant Sinha, and Natwar Singh. Besides, he has given details as well as the background of these landmark developments - much beyond the so called 'four point formula' often referred to in the media. It took Khurshid Kasuri four years to write the book because it has been comprehensively researched, is fully referenced and has been brought up to date.
To make it interesting and easier for the reader to follow the theme, there are many pictures with meaningful captions in an attempt to tell his story through these pictures. The book also deals with Mian Kasuri's relationship with former president Musharraf and contains certain interesting details regarding the judicial crisis in March 2007.
He also discusses the important role of the media in the conduct of foreign policy and has devoted an entire section in the book to this subject. Based on his experience he has also dealt with the importance of personal relationships in international relations and says that it is vitally important to be proactive in the conduct of foreign policy.
The former foreign minister has also devoted an entire chapter on the attitude of the Pakistan Army towards the peace process with India and on the Kashmir framework.
The book contains a chapter on the invaluable role of the Foreign Office in the formulation and execution of foreign policy of Pakistan. This has become necessary because there is a strong perception that the army and the intelligence agencies play a key role, particularly on Kashmir and Afghanistan. He has tried to put things in context. Khurshid Kasuri says in the book that he has tried to be as objective as possible and has given credit, where due, to those on the other side of the political divide. He says that since foreign policy has a major impact on national security, partisanship on foreign policy matters is grossly counterproductive.
Besides covering Pak-India relations in depth, the book also covers Pakistan's relations with US, China and Afghanistan as well as with major countries of the Muslim World, particularly, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Turkey. It describes the complex relations between these Muslim countries and suggests how Pakistan should conduct itself towards them, all of which are very close to Pakistan due to historic, cultural or religious reasons - ironically, the very factors which complicate relations between them.