M A I N   N E W S

No talks with Pak: India
Rajeev Sharma

New Delhi, February 5
The Vajpayee government today outrightly rejected Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s offer of talks made earlier in the day in his rheoteric speech to the Assembly in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (POK) which has reverted the Indo-Pak relations to pre-January 12 phase of brinkmanship.

The feeling in the government is that whenever Gen Musharraf talks of dialogue he always has a summit in mind to score a goal or two on Indian leadership. Structured talks or composite dialogue is something that is not understood by the General who has a commando’s mindset coupled with a practical problem that being a military dictator he cannot trust others.

While articulating the government’s reaction to Gen Musharraf’s speech, a spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs today said the speech clearly showed that the Pakistani military ruler had “reverted” back to “time worn and untenable positions on terrorism”.

According to well-placed sources here, Gen Musharraf’s speech comes as no surprise as nothing else could be expected from a man who is “a prisoner of Pakistan Army’s anti-India policy.”

The government is well aware of the fact that Gen Musharraf reached the seat of power in Islamabad on the crest of anti-Nawaz Sharif and anti-India protests of the Jehadis after the Kargil fiasco.

Gen Musharraf, said a senior official here, has made bold decisions under US pressure to discard Pakistan’s Afghanistan policy and has taken some measures to rein fundamentalists who were destroying peace at home and causing destruction of the country’s economy. But even in this revolutionary mood, he dares not moderate the Army’s India policy which has been rooted in terrorism and criminal acts, the official said.

The perception in South Block here is that though the Vajpayee government would seemingly come under pressure to take a firm decision regarding the more than 50-day-old full mobilisation and deployment of its troops on the borders, Gen Musharraf’s speech would, in a way, help it politically in the coming Assembly elections.

The government may respond to Gen Musharraf’s tough-talk in the coming days in two ways, well-placed sources here said. One, go for a new bout of diplomatic offensive by announcing cancellation of Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to Pakistan and put Pakistan on notice for abrogation of the Indus River Water Treaty. Fresh bouts of diplomatic offensive against Pakistan at this juncture are going to suit the government politically in the pre-poll days.

Reduce cross-border terrorism, Pak urged

Washington, February 5
In a firm endorsement of New Delhi’s concerns, the USA today asked Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to act to reduce cross-border terrorism and crack down on terrorist outfits in a way that would give India confidence.

The US Secretary of State Colin Mr Powell, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that General Musharraf should act to scale down “the incidents over the Line of Control and round up terrorist organisations and do it in a way that will give India confidence that they are both united in the coalition against terrorism and not let it degenerate into a campaign against each other.”

He asked General Musharraf to implement the promises he made in his January 12 address to the nation. PTI

Blackwill: no plans for military base in India

Chennai, February 5
The USA has “absolutely” no plans to have a permanent military base in India, but was committed to stepping up bilateral defence relations, especially in the context of countering terrorism across the globe, US Ambassador Robert Blackwill said today.

Addressing a press conference here on the eve of the three-day meeting of the Indo-US joint naval executive steering group scheduled to commence here on board the US Navy’s 7th Fleet command ship USS Blueridge tomorrow, the Ambassador said the defence wings of the two countries would be holding joint exercises, exchanging military intelligence and jointly executing strategic decisions in the coming days.

The “USA has no interest in stationing its troops anywhere in India permanently”, he asserted.

To a question whether defence hardware to be supplied to India under the recent agreements included F-22, the latest US fighter aircraft, he said India had not asked for the same.

Asked for his comments on the move by India to acquire two submarines from Russia, he said India was a free country and as such it was free to acquire defence systems it needed from any country.

Mr Blackwill, however, added that situations had changed and good relations between India and Russia was now in the interests of the USA.

Meanwhile, Mr Blackwill asked India to respect “sanctity of contract” with the Dabhol power project of Enron and other American business interests in the country.

Answering questions about the US Government pressuring India to pay compensation to Enron, the Ambassador said it was normal diplomatic practice to take up the interests of American business in India. “I hope my esteemed counterpart in the US would also be doing the same there,” he added. Agencies