M A I N   N E W S

Progress on CBMs slow, says Natwar

London, January 16
Acknowledging that progress in some Indo-Pak confidence-building measures (CBMs) has been slow, External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh said today that he would take up the issue of their pace when he meets Pakistani leaders, possibly President Pervez Musharraf also in Islamabad next month.

Answering a question on Indo-Pak relations in an interview to BBC’s Hindi service, he said, “We have suggested a set of 72 CBMs to them. Concrete progress is being made in some of them and in some other issues the progress has been slow.

“When I visit Pakistan next month, I will be discussing these issues with Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri and may be with President Pervez Musharraf also”, said Mr Natwar Singh, who is scheduled to visit Pakistan on February 15.

“What I am saying is that if the bus service starts between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad (and) similarly if the train service starts between Sindh and Rajasthan, it will definitely help matters, and at the moment atmosphere is cordial between the two countries”, the minister said.

Asserting the process of composite dialogue between India and Pakistan is on the right track, he, however, said, “This does not mean we are not confronted with problems and that all issues have been resolved or a major breakthrough has been achieved on the Kashmir issue.”

Mr Natwar Singh described Kashmir as a “symbol of India’s secularism” and said the country would not compromise on it.

“We are proud of the fact that we have a state with a Muslim majority. The Chief Minister of this state is a Muslim and so are majority of ministers and MLAs. It is the foundation of India’s secularism and we will not allow that to be compromised,” the External Affairs Minister said.

Answering a question on the fight against terrorism, he said, “India is getting support in its fight against terrorism. The world knows that terrorists are entering Jammu and Kashmir from the neighbouring country. — PTI