M A I N   N E W S

Advani’s five terms for talks

Gurgaon, March 23
India today reaffirmed that normalcy could be restored with Pakistan only if Islamabad passed a five-point “litmus test” laid down by New Delhi.

Pakistan has to prove its sincerity in its fight against terrorism by fulfilling the five conditions laid down by India, Home Minister L. K. Advani told the media on the sidelines of the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Academy here.

He accused Pakistan of inciting communal tension in India after being “cornered” internationally on the issue of proxy war.

He defended the Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance (POTO), saying the need for such special laws against terrorism had been stressed even by the UN Security Council.

Without naming Pakistan, Mr Advani told officers and jawans of the CRPF here that “the neighbour has seen itself being defeated on all fronts and as regards its proxy war, it is being gradually cornered in the international community.

“So it (Pakistan) thought that somehow the communal tensions in India, which had died down over the past four years, should be revived,” he said.

Insisting that there were no indications of change in Pakistan’s attitude over terrorism vis-a-vis India despite “big” promises, Advani said India would review its approach towards that country only when its demands were met. He said normalcy could be restored with Pakistan only if Islamabad passed a five-point “litmus test” laid down by New Delhi.

He hailed the US statement asking Islamabad to hand over the 20 terrorists and criminals India wanted.

Later Mr Advani told reporters that Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf had made a “big” speech claiming that he was against terrorism and would not support terrorist organisations.

“But on the ground there are no such indications in respect to India,” he said, adding that “there seems to be no hurry in Pakistan in regard to handing over of the 20 terrorists and criminals.”

Mr Advani said India would review its approach towards Pakistan only after Islamabad met New Delhi’s demands — handing over of 20 terrorists and criminals, ending infiltration and stopping supplies of arms, finances and training to terrorists.

He said with Indian and Pakistan forces deployed on the international border and the Line of Control (LoC), infiltration was “impossible” without Pakistan’s support.

The Home Minister said the world opinion had changed after last year’s September 11 attacks and the international community realised the “new dangers”.

“The world realised that India’s warnings over terrorism were proving correct and felt the need for a united approach to defeat the challenge,” he said.

The UN Security Council on September 28 passed a resolution asking the member states to frame special laws to deal with terrorism and choke their financial supplies, he said. UNI, PTI