The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Monday, September 29, 2003, Chandigarh, India

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Peace process suffered setback, says PM

New Delhi, September 28
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee tonight admitted that his peace initiative with Pakistan had suffered a setback owing to statements of Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf but felt a fresh impetus was needed to bring about amity between the two countries.

“Yes, the peace process has suffered a setback”, he told reporters shortly after arriving from Zurich at the end of his 13-day tour during which he visited Turkey and addressed the UN General Assembly in New York.

Replying to questions on Indo-Pakistan issues, the Prime Minister said all efforts should be made to ensure that outstanding issues between India and Pakistan were resolved through a dialogue and in a peaceful manner.

Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani and Mr Murli Manohar Joshi, who resigned as Human Resource Development Minister in the wake of the verdict of the Rae Bareli Court in the Babri Masjid demolition case, were standing side by side to receive the Prime Minister. They were, however, not seen talking to each other.

Mr Vajpayee said he would discuss the resignation given by Mr Joshi.

“I have just reached Delhi (after a 13-day tour). I will sit down and discuss the issue,” he said.

Asked about the statements of General Musharraf on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly and other fora, the Prime Minister said “despite the setback to the peace initiative, a fresh impetus needs to be given to ensure that all outstanding issues between the two countries are resolved peacefully and through dialogue.”

On the issue of Iraq, he said developments in the war-ravaged country were high on his agenda of discussions with world leaders in New York, but asserted that the UN had to play a bigger role there.

The Prime Minister said he had clearly stated India’s position on Iraq during his engagements at the UN.

Mr Vajpayee said if challenges facing the world had to be resolved, then the UN would be required to be reformed.

He hoped that reforms process in the UN would take shape soon and an eminent persons committee, as proposed by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, was being constituted for this. — PTI