India Uncut
This blog has moved to its own domain. Please visit IndiaUncut.com for the all-new India
Uncut and bookmark it. The new site has much more content and some new sections, and you can read about them here and here. You can subscribe to full RSS feeds of all the sections from here.
This blogspot site will no longer be updated, except in case of emergencies, if the main site suffers a prolonged outage. Thanks - Amit.
Tuesday, April 19, 2005
Boredom on the road to peace
How do you deal with the intransigent president of a neighbouring country? You bore him. Rediff reports that Pervez Musharraf, during his visit to India, found that a lunch meeting with Abdul Kalam, India's president, stretched into a private educational seminar. The report says:
After that was over, the report says, "the two leaders discussed the changing world and how peace was important for the two nations to march forward". Kalam told Musharraf:
I can imagine Musharraf coming away from this meeting and being greeted by Manmohan Singh.
"Did he tell you about the eggs you have to nurture?" asks Manmohan, grinning wickedly.
"Yes," sighs Musharraf. "After Agra I was 1-0. Now it's 1-1. Sigh. Wail. Weep."
"There there, Mush" says Manmohan, patting Musharraf on the head. "Don't worry, we'll go watch some cricket. One over of Nehra to Afridi, and you'll feel a lot better."
After welcoming his guest and exchanging pleasantries, the scientist-statesman took the general to his personal room and invited him to take a look at some of the projects he had been working on. In a few minutes, the two presidents were looking at the Rashtrapati's computer, which had details of his Providing Urban Amenities in the Rural Areas scheme. In the 25-minute presentation, President Kalam explained to the visiting leader how his project will bring about a change in the lives of the rural poor.
After that was over, the report says, "the two leaders discussed the changing world and how peace was important for the two nations to march forward". Kalam told Musharraf:
Place the confidence-building measures in a goodwill basket and see the eggs nurture. We should harness or direct our energy to nurture goodwill and ensure that no third party is allowed to enter or damage it.
I can imagine Musharraf coming away from this meeting and being greeted by Manmohan Singh.
"Did he tell you about the eggs you have to nurture?" asks Manmohan, grinning wickedly.
"Yes," sighs Musharraf. "After Agra I was 1-0. Now it's 1-1. Sigh. Wail. Weep."
"There there, Mush" says Manmohan, patting Musharraf on the head. "Don't worry, we'll go watch some cricket. One over of Nehra to Afridi, and you'll feel a lot better."
