Bangalore, January 5
British Prime Minister Tony Blair said today that the Kashmir issue could not be solved through terrorism and urged India and Pakistan to resolve it politically.In a frontal attack on terrorism, Mr Blair, who is on a South Asia peace mission, said Kashmir would be “heavy on my agenda during my talks here (in India) and Pakistan.”
Mr Blair, while inaugurating the Eighth Partnership Summit of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here, described the attack on the Indian Parliament as “an attack on Parliament in which I serve”. Only political intervention, not terrorism, would be able to solve complex issues, he added.
The starting point for negotiations was to totally and objectively reject attacks such as the ones on the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly and Parliament, he added.
Mr Blair, who devoted most part of his nearly hour-long speech on “how to combat terrorism”, appreciated the stand taken by India on the issue. Combating international terrorism was vital to the economic growth of Britain, India and elsewhere in the world, he added.
Earlier, Union Minister for Communications and Information Technology Pramod Mahajan made it clear to Mr Blair that “India is not a war-mongering nation” and sought his intervention to curb cross-border terrorism aided and abetted by Pakistan.
Britain and India, he said, could work together with others, to confront terrorism and also to support and build support for the policies and values that promote peace and justice and mitigate against extremism and terror in all nations everywhere.
Mr Blair said his country would support India in its efforts to secure a permanent seat in the UN Security Council.
Speaking at the inauguration of the CII’s summit here, he said India deserved the seat and “we will work with you to attain it”.
Mr Blair praised the role of India’s peace keeping missions in several countries, including Bosnia, and said India’s role in world affairs could not be undermined.
UNI
