By Indrani Bagchi appeared in "The Economic Times" on May 31, 1999

Pakistan's determined efforts to use the Kargil crisis to put Kashmir on the international agenda floundered today with the US and UK reassuring India on the bilateral nature of the conflict, even as Indian armed forces continued combined air and ground operations for the fifth day to flush out militants from Indian territory.

India's consequent refusal to the UN secretary-general to send any special envoy to south Asia was vindicated by the position of the western world.

Last evening, British foreign secretary, Robin Cook, in a 15-minute phone conversation with the foreign minister Jaswant Singh acknowledged the genesis of the problem that Indian currently faces - that of armed intrusion by Pakistan army regulars and Afghan and Arab militants.

Apart from a concern expressed over the current situation was also a tacit approval of Jaswant Singh's statement that India had no other alternative but to take concerted military action.

In a day characterised by hectic diplomatic activity, this morning the British effort was buttressed by another phone conversation with US secretary of state Madeliene Albright, who rang at 8.45 am to discuss the current situation in Kargil.

Mr. Singh reportedly said India was tackling the situation and was reassured that India need not fear the issue would be taken to any international forum as a means to exert pressure.

This gave India the necessary leverage to say a polite 'no, thank you' to a determined UN secretary-general Kofi Annan who wanted to send an envoy to south Asia.

The diplomatic breakthrough came even as Indian armed forces reported substantial gains in pushing the armed intruders out of the Batalik-Dras sectors, despite bad weather.

Referring to intelligence reports, Maj Gen. J. J. Singh said there was evidence of "heavy attrition on the intruders".

In the Batalik sub-sector yesterday, Indian troops, he said encircled one of the enemy positions and in the ensuing firefight, heavy casualties were inflicted. Five mercenaries were reported killed though India lost an officer Major M. Sarvanan in the battle.

The visit by the Pakistan foreign minister, Sartaj Aziz, is still officially under consideration but sources say there is little chance of India inviting him over while air strikes were still on.

The fact that Pakistan hasn't been getting much international mileage over this incident has been clear from the reports coming back to Delhi from various quarters.

This is also the reason, sources say, why Mr. Nawaz Sharif appears to be overtly anxious to show the world that he is seriously attempting peace.

After the first phone call by Mr. Vajpayee, reports have it that Mr. Sharif has called back three times. During the last conversation with Mr. Sharif, the latter said he wanted to find a "political solution" to Kashmir with Mr. Vajpayee.

But since Kashmir is part of a group of 8 subjects discussed between India and Pakistan, India is clear the Kashmir issue can only be discussed within that particular framework.

Global isolation of Pakistan is essential for the success of the Indian Operation Flush Out which is now no longer a mere military operation, but one with larger dimensions to it.

Once it became clear that Pakistan had done the unacceptable by actually crossing over into Indian territory, international attention has been concentrated on the goings-on within Pakistan.

India's diplomatic activity is now on overdrive as it tries to press home its advantage while conducting determined military operations.

According to sources the pressure is telling on Pakistan as well. It is evident that Pakistanis using all the authority at its command to involve the international community.

As the phone calls from Mr. Annan showed, Pakistan has made some headway there. It has also used the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) to back up its call.

The current chairman of the OIC, Iran has offered to mediate between India and Pakistan while Egypt too offered to host talks between the two.