M A I N   N E W S

India rejects Pak move on Kashmir

New Delhi, June 26
India today rejected Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s suggestion for a US-sponsored roadmap on the lines of West Asia to resolve the Kashmir issue, saying there was no place for third-party mediation.

“We have repeatedly said there is no third-party role in the bilateral dialogue..... there is no space for a third party at the table,” External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha said.

He told the NDTV that issues between India and Pakistan had to be resolved bilaterally.

Mr Musharraf had told an American TV channel that he would like US President George W. Bush to involve himself in a West Asia-style roadmap on Kashmir, but feared India would not allow that as it wanted bilateral resolution “of everything”.

Asked whether India had accepted China’s territorial sovereignty over Tibet and Beijing had agreed to New Delhi’s control over Sikkim, Mr Sinha said “I would say we have made progress on all issues, including the great understanding on Tibet and Sikkim.”

He said there was no fundamental change in India’s stand on Tibet.

To a question if the two countries continue to see each other as rivals for control in the region, Mr Sinha said “I don’t think so. Its a healthy competition as between two nations”.

He said the two countries should move ahead in their bilateral relations and a lot of issues would be sorted out along the way.

On the outcome of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s ongoing visit to China, Mr Sinha said the “biggest gain” was the establishment of the Prime Minister’s rapport with the new Chinese leadership, laying the foundation for a close bilateral relationship and the defining of the areas and format through which the ties would be taken forward.

On the question of sending troops to Iraq, he said India would take a decision after resolving all the issues and building a consensus. — PTI