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Pak rejects DGMOs’ meeting
Says talks should focus on Kashmir, not visa
Tribune News Service and PTI

New Delhi, July 10
In a move seen clearly as part of building pressure on India, Pakistan today formally rejected the proposal of holding talks between the Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two countries before the Agra summit.

The Pakistani DGMO, Major-General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani called up his Indian counterpart, Lt-Gen G.S. Sihota, in the evening and rejected the proposal on the grounds that there was very little time left to talk on military matters before the visit of President Pervez Musharraf which officially begins on July 14.

Pakistan is of the opinion that military issues could be discussed only after the summit results as most matters pertaining to the LoC and the placement of troops would flow only from it. So the holding of a DGMO-level summit before the Agra summit was of no consequence.

Although there were indications to this effect from the reports emanating from Islamabad late yesterday, but a formal rejection came this evening. In the absence of a positive outcome of the Agra summit, the DGMO talks might also not come about.

According to reports, the Pakistani DGMO called up New Delhi at about four in the evening to put off the proposal which also had the clearance of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. India was hoping to discuss matters relating to the Siachen Glacier, LoC, International Border (IB) and the Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL) during the talks between the two DGMOs.

Besides the infiltration routes along the LoC and the IB would also have been on the agenda. India shares almost 740 km of LoC with Pakistan besides about 200 km of IB and 140 km of AGPL. There are also about 60 identified routes of infiltration from across the border along the entire border with Pakistan.

Gen Kayani’s call was in response to a call made yesterday by Gen Sihota urging his Pakistani counterpart for an early meeting.

The rejection of the Indian proposal while on one hand is reflective of Pakistan’s attempt to put pressure on India for talking only on Kashmir first and all other matters could come later, it also signifies the lack of coordination between the Indian agencies preparing for the summit.

Islamabad: Pakistan on Tuesday said it would like to reciprocate to India’s visa relaxations ahead of the Agra summit but insisted that the Musharraf-Vajpayee summit should focus on Kashmir and not on “peripheral” issues such as visas.

Reacting to India’s visa announcement, Interior Ministry Secretary Tasneem Noorani said here Islamabad would reciprocate if India relaxed visa rules for its nationals.

Mr Noorani, however, said Pakistan was interested in discussing Kashmir issue, which is the “core” problem between the two countries and “all other issues are peripheral”.

Uri, R.S. Pora likely to be visa points

New Delhi, July 10
Uri in Kashmir and Ranbir Singh Pora in Jammu are likely to be the two check posts to be set up at border and the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir to facilitate the easier grant of visas to Pakistanis visiting India, informed sources said here today.

The sources said the provision of logistics at these two posts for the purpose could be taken up after Pakistan responded positively to grant of such facilities.

While Uri is located in north Kashmir along the Line of Control, Ranbir Singh Pora is situated in south of Jammu along the International Border.

Chakoti in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir faces the Uri checkpost and Sailkote in Pakistan faces Ranbir Singh Pora.

The JKLF protestors had used Chakoti border to violate the Line of Control in 1993 but were fired upon by Pakistani rangers and their march was called off.

India, in a path-breaking step ahead of the Agra summit unilaterally announced the easing of travel restrictions for Pakistani nationals to visit the country and decided to issue visas at Attari checkpost in Punjab and Munabao in Rajasthan, besides two other designated places along the International Border and the LoC. PTI

PM consults Cabinet on summit

New Delhi, July 10
Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee tonight held consultations with his Cabinet colleagues ahead of the Indo-Pak summit at Agra.

The meeting was part of the informal consultations the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has been holding for the last couple of days, a PMO spokesman said.

Those who attended the meeting included External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh, Home Minister L.K. Advani, Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha, National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra, Centre’s interlocutor on Kashmir K.C. Pant, Foreign Secretary Chokila Iyer and other senior officials of the External Affairs Ministry and the PMO. PTI

JKLF to boycott reception

Srinagar, July 10
In what could be seen as a clear rift among various constituents of the Hurriyat Conference, the JKLF, one of the main constituents of the 23-party amalgam, today announced boycott of the reception hosted by Pakistan High Commission for President Pervez Musharraf terming it as “humiliating” for the conglomerate.

“We are a part and parcel of the Kashmir dispute and we do not believe in the tea or dinner diplomacy,” acting Chairman of the JKLF Bashir Bhat said here.

Mr Bhat had taken control of the JKLF as its Chairman Yaseen Malik had been away in London undergoing medical treatment.

“To invite Hurriyat for a cup of tea amounts to humiliation,” Javed Mir, vice-president of the JKLF, said. PTI

Ultras warn Musharraf

Muzaffarabad, Pakistan, July 10
Top leaders of Islamic militant groups today vowed to intensify fighting against Indian troops in Kashmir and warned Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf against any compromise on the issue.

“Pakistan, India talks are a conspiracy to harm jehad (holy war) for Kashmir,” Hafiz Saeed, leader of a key guerrilla group, Lashkar-e-Toiba, told his supporters here.

“The jehad will continue... those who will try to stop it, will themselves perish,” he said. AP