ABSTRACT

Nuclear weapons in the hands of India and Pakistan have delivered stability in terms of war and instability in terms of crisis, as shown in the previous two chapters. The frequent eruption of crises and at times continuing lower levels of violence have made it difficult to initiate a peace process or consolidate one that has been initiated. This chapter aims to demonstrate the negative impact of crises on peace initiatives, a consequence of nuclear weapons acquisition. The period of study is from 1998 to 2007-8, the declared nuclear period. Two important peace initiatives are discussed and analyzed with a view to highlighting the good intentions of the initiators and their ultimate failure owing to the eruption of a new crisis in the conflict setting.