The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Tuesday, September 10, 2002, Chandigarh, India

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Vajpayee leaves for USA
Tribune News Service

Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee before his departure for United States being greeted by his Deputy L.K.Advani and other senior colleagues at IGI airport in New Delhi on Monday. — PTI photo

New Delhi, September 9
Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today left on a week-long tour of the USA, saying that “our basic message is that the democracies of the world have a crucial role in countering terrorism together.”

In a statement before departure, Mr Vajpayee said, “In the present world situation, it is inevitable that the global war against terrorism as well as our own determined efforts against cross-border terrorism would figure in my various bilateral interactions in the USA.”

Saying that during his last visit to the USA, President George Bush and he had “agreed on a detailed roadmap for the multi-faceted development of our bilateral cooperation”, Mr Vajpayee added: “I hope that this process will be carried forward in my discussions with President Bush and in other meetings which External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha and National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra will have with their counterparts.”

In his brief chat with reporters before emplaning, Mr Vajpayee also denied that there was any proposal to allow Ram Jethmalani-led Kashmir Committee to visit Pakistan to hold talks with the Hurriyat leaders there. “There is no such proposal before us,” he said.

In response to a question whether Washington was really keen on New Delhi’s request to jointly counter cross-border terrorism backed by Pakistan, he said “they (USA) are saying that they are fulfilling their promise and would continue to do so.”

Mr Vajpayee parried a question about reported moves to convert the Line of Control to an international border and merely said “Maine bhi aisa suna hai” (“I have also heard about it.”)

However, Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani told reporters at the airport: “The day we decide to hold talks with Pakistan, the government will do so on its own. There is no need for intermediaries.”

Almost the entire Cabinet, including Mr Advani, Finance Minister Jaswant Singh, Defence Minister George Fernandes and Information and Broadcasting Minister Sushma Swaraj, was at the airport to see off Mr Vajpayee.

PM’s agenda beyond Pak
Rajeev Sharma
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 9
It would be a serious effort of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and his team, who today left for a weeklong visit to the United Nations, to look beyond Pakistan and work on other important issues like bilateral ties with the USA and the restructuring of the United Nations.

While the Vajpayee government’s focus would be Pakistan’s continued export of terrorism, it is understood that the visiting team, including External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha and PM’s Principal Secretary and National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra, would make sure that certain other important issues are also given weightage.

One of such issues is guiding the Indo-US relations to a new threshold and consolidate the diversification of these relations in various spheres, including military, space and science and technology.

The second issue is to make efforts before the international community to restructure the UN in keeping with the changed times which has grown from 45 members in its year of inception in 1945 to the present 191. Switzerland and East Timor are shortly going to be conferred the UN membership, the former as the 190th member and the latter as the 191st.

India is going to demand the UN’s restructuring in such a way that the present day realities are reflected. One of the vociferous demands India has been making is that the UN Security Council be expanded as the UNSC membership has remained fixed at 15. New Delhi’s argument is that while the UNSC represented 33 per cent of the world body in 1945 now it accounts for not even 10 per cent.

India is going to take up this issue with one of the six sub-committees of the UN from September 20 onwards when the world leaders would have departed. The matter will be taken up with the Special Political Issues sub-committee. The other sub-committees of the UN are for (i) International Security and Peace, (ii) Economy and Finance, (iii) Socio-Cultural and Humanitarian Issues, (iv) Administrative and Financial Issues, and (v) Legal Issues.

J-K poll: US pressure on Pak to stay

Washington, September 9
The US Secretary of State, Mr Colin Powell, tonight assured India that Washington would continue to press Pakistan to stop cross-border infiltration into Jammu and Kashmir and not to interfere in any way with the elections in the state.

Mr Powell was speaking at a joint appearance with External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha after their talks at the US State Department and a lunch hosted in his honour. “I am satisfied with the discussion.” Mr Sinha said.

“We discussed the situation across the border,” said Mr Powell when asked whether they discussed India’s perceptions on cross-border terrorism.

“We have reaffirmed to the minister that we would continue to press the Pakistani Government to do everything possible to stop cross-border infiltration,” he said.

Mr Powell said he and Mr Sinha also talked about the elections in Jammu and Kashmir. “I reaffirmed to the minister that we spoke to Pakistan about not interfering in any way with these elections.” He said the USA expected the elections to be free and fair. PTI