PM for global action against terrorism
Tribune News Service

JAIPUR, Aug 22 — The Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, today asked for a concerted international action against terrorism. Addressing the media on the second day of the BJP's national executive committee meeting here, the Prime Minister gave his tacit approval to the US missile attacks against the terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan and Sudan on Thursday night, saying that the US action followed the terrorist strike against the American Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.

"Terrorism is a crime against humanity. The United Nations has taken a strong stand against terrorism. Wherever terrorism takes place, it has to be condemned and resisted", Mr Vajpayee said hoping that "double standards" would not be adopted hereafter.

"We are the victims of terrorism and we would like terrorism to be completely rooted out", the Prime Minister said. He said India would welcome cooperation with any country, including the USA, for fighting the menace of terrorism.

Whether the US action was justified, Mr Vajpayee, avoiding a direct reply, said the "terrorist action had taken place before the US decided to strike". "There may be two opinions on the US action but terrorism has to be fought everywhere firmly", he stressed. "Terrorism has no place in a civilised society".

To a question if he would agree to call the US action as "state terrorism", the Prime Minister said:" I don’t agree with that description".

"We are always of the opinion that there should be an international action against terrorism.These incidents only justify the need to have an international action against terrorism", Mr Vjpayee said.

An official spokesman,however, clarified saying that "what the Prime Minister meant with international action was not military action, but an international initiative".

How does he propose to counter terrorism in the country, Mr Vajpayee said "by fighting it".

On a question on Pakistan, Mr Vajpayee admitted that Islamabad was providing training to terrorists and was sending them across the borders to India. However, the Prime Minister said New Delhi was keen to have good neighbourly relations with Islamabad.

Mr Vajpayee avoided or rather dismissed questions on his government’s relations with the AIADMK leader, Ms Jayalalitha. When asked about "Ms Jayalalitha’s terrorism", Mr Vajpayee dismissed the question saying that "we are yet not a victim of it".

On the US support to terrorism in the past, he said that "we are not going into the past history. I hope that the USA would have second thoughts on it", he said.

Later briefing on the deliberations of the executive committee meeting, the BJP general secretary, Mr M. Venkaiah Naidu, said the party had authorised the party president, Mr Kushabhau Thakre to form Parliamentary Board, Central Election Committee and Central Disciplinary Committee by unanimous resolution moved by Union Home Minister L.K. Advani.

The executive reviewed the Assembly elections preparations, Mr Naidu said adding that a resolution on the economic situation was also passed. The party passed a resolution on nuclear tests and gave the green signal for signing the comprehensive test ban treaty (CTBT).

In its resolution on nuclear tests, the party’s working committee said while it approved the government’s decision of unilateral moratorium on further nuclear tests, the government must maintain its right to review its decision "if future developments jeopardise national strategic and security interests".

When asked, the Prime Minister said this right remained even after signing the CTBT as the treaty’s provisions gave the signatory country this right.

In the economic resolution, the party asked the government to streamline the public distribution network and use organisations like NAFED to hold the price line and ensure the distribution of essential commodities.

The resolution also expressed concern over the fluctuation in capital markets and urged the government to undertake an effective dialogue with the industry to stabilise the market sentiments. The resolution called for steps to shore up the external value of the Rupee.

The meeting began deliberations on a political resolution this morning to be adopted before a public rally here which would be addressed by Mr Vajpayee along with other important leaders. The rally would mark the beginning of the party’s election campaign for the coming Assembly elections.