M A I N   N E W S

George’s terms for talks

BANGALORE, Dec 3 (PTI) — The Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes, today indicated that India would resume dialogue with Pakistan only if it stopped sending terrorists to the country and “genuinely” ended firing from across the border.

Reacting to Pakistan’s announcement on excercising “maximum restraint” along the Line of Control (LoC), he told reporters “it’s high time they did it”.

Mr Fernandes’ reaction came in response to queries on Pakistan’s announcement yesterday on ‘maximum restraint’ and its willingness to enter into a ‘meaningful dialogue’ with India to address the Kashmir conflict.

“If there should be genuine stopping of firing from the other side, and they stopped the influx of terrorists, then I believe we should be going in a direction which will help both the people of Jammu and Kashmir and also perhaps enable us to sit and talk”, he said.

Asked if he welcomed Pakistan’s announcement on ‘maximum restraint’, he said, “who would not welcome a move of that nature”, but hastened to add, “when they say restraint, what exactly do they mean”.

By its announcement, he said, Pakistan had admitted that it had been firing from across the border. Secondly, he added, “it will have to be (a) one-sided restraint because we always returned the fire”.

Mr Fernandes said he had daily reports from the Army headquarters showing that there had been a significant reduction in firing from across the border but said there had been cases where fire from small fire-arms were directed against India, and in two cases, there had been heavy firing by Pakistan.

“But nowhere have we retaliated”, he said. “So, when they speak of restraint, it means they have to stop even that. I hope they intend to stop that”.

Asked if there was a possibility of extending India’s unilateral ceasefire beyond the month of Ramzan, Mr Fernandes said: “It depends on what happens. I don’t think we can make a positive statement on that at this point of time”.

He, however, said India certainly liked the ceasefire to be an all time affair. “Who would not (like the ceasefire to be an all time affair,” he asked.

Mr Fernandes said the government was happy that there had been considerable improvement in the situation in Jammu and Kashmir during Ramzan though on the first day of the ceasefire there were some incidents which gave different signals.

When pointed out that Pakistan had also spoken about negotiations with India, he said: “That (negotiations) comes much later. Negotiations are not related only to stopping of firing from across the border”.

He noted that for talks to begin, India has consistently said Pakistan should first stop firing from across the border and fold up training camps for terrorists who it subsequently sent to India. “There has to be normalisation of that level before we can sit down and talk.”

He reiterated that India announced the unilateral ceasefire after factoring various aspects of possibilities, dangers and risks. “We decided that we should take this step so that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are able to have a very peaceful time during Ramzan”.

Mr Fernandes expressed displeasure over his own government’s move to send the BSF and the NSG commandos to assist Karnataka and Tamil Nadu Special Task Force to nab the elusive forest brigand Veerappan, saying it did not make any sense.

Stressing that nabbing the outlaw was a police job and the central forces had no role in it, Mr Fernandes said: “The talk of central forces having to come here, so on and so forth, does not make any sense”.

The Karnataka Director-General of Police, Mr C. Dinakar has said the BSF personnel would join the “nab Veerappan mission” any time, and the Centre has also agreed to deploy the NSG later.

“I have always said it’s a matter for the police to handle (to nab Veerappan),” Mr Fernandes said.

Asked if he was unhappy about the involvement of central forces in the manhunt, he repeated “this is a police matter”.

“I am told that on an earlier occasion and perhaps more than one occasion, police almost had the man (Veerappan) in their grip....they had lodged him inside....”, he said.

Mr Fernandes earlier visited defence units including the Electronic and Radar Development Establishment, the Gas Turbine Research Establishment and the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

Mr Advani declined to comment on the demand for talks with the Hurriyat Conference.

Pak conveys decision on LoC

ISLAMABAD, Dec 3 (PTI) — Pakistan has formally conveyed to India its decision that its armed forces would exercise “maximum restraint” along the Line of Control (LoC), a newspaper reported today.

Islamabad yesterday called Indian High Commissioner V.A. Nambiar to the Foreign Office and formally informed him about the decision, The Jang said.

“The Indian High Commissioner was told to convey the Pakistan Government’s decision to his government so that a Hurriyat Conference delegation could come to Islamabad during Ramzan,” the daily said.

Pakistan on Saturday announced that its troops along the LoC would exercise restraint to help the Indian Government’s ceasefire stabilise in the region.

Islamabad has invited the executive committe of the Hurriyat Conference for consultations and asked India to allow the delegation to visit Pakistan during Ramzan.