'G8, NATO considering chopper force at LoC'

According to The News, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw is behind this proposal known as the "Straw Formula". The paper claimed that European diplomats to have told New Delhi and Islamabad that a workable mechanism to monitor infiltration is essential in view of Europe's increasing economic and defence ties with these two countries.

The Straw Formula reportedly insists that Europe should convince India that the proposed helicopter force would not affect New Delhi's position on Kashmir i.e. that the vexed issue be resolved bilaterally, a European diplomat, who requested anonymity, underlined.

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Diplomats on either side of the Atlantic say Indian and Pakistan allegations and denials must be checked through an independent mechanism as ambiguity on this account was creating difficulties for Western countries wanting to condition their respective aid packages for developing countries.

Washington has already said that any aid from it will depend on a recipient country's response to the fight against terrorism.

"Pakistan has agreed to the so-called Straw Formula. Pakistani authorities have conveyed to the Western capitals their considered opinion that an international helicopter-borne force to monitor infiltration along the LoC would bolster the peace process in South Asia," the diplomat said.

G-8, the group of most industrialized counties, the European Union and even the NATO are willing to provide the helicopters, other logistics and technical support for the proposed force without getting themselves involved in the Kashmir dispute.

The formula has also received the endorsement two physicists -Professor M. Martellini of the University of Insubria in Como, Italy and Dr. A.H. Nayyar of the Islamabad-based Quaid-e-Azam University, who is also the coordinator of the Pakistan Peace Coalition (PPC).