 |
|
No backward movement on peace talks: PM New York, September 16 “We have adopted a constructive attitude with regard to the composite dialogue and are committed to finding pragmatic solutions to all issues, including Jammu and Kashmir,” Dr Singh said at a press conference here in winding up his weeklong visit to France and the plenary of the UN General Assembly. The Prime Minister was categoric that he did not take a pessimistic view of the Joint Statement issued after his intensive discussions with Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf. “We cannot have dramatic results from a sideshow though General Musharraf and I exchanged views on each other’s compulsions. It was a constructive essay on mutual comprehension,” he observed. “There is no backward movement in Indo-Pak relations. The Joint Statement is forward-looking in that we have resolved not to allow terrorism to impede the peace process. We will remain engaged.” Impressed by Gen Musharraf’s assurance to put in place a system to bring infiltration under effective control, Dr Singh hoped the Pakistan President “is right in ending cross-border infiltration and terrorist violence. Reduction of troops in J and K is contingent on these parameters being met,” the Prime Minister explained. On General Musharraf’s allegation that atrocities were taking place in J and K, Dr Singh was emphatic that it was the Congress-led UPA government’s bounden duty to safeguard the dignity and human rights of the people of J and K. “We will also review the cases of all those behind bars in J and K,” the Prime Minister affirmed. “General Musharraf has assured that the situation will improve. That is engaged in controlling
infiltration is a very positive development in itself. I applaud General Musharraf if this is achieved.” Asked if he had changed his opinion of the General that India was willing to do business with him, the Prime Minister said “General Musharraf is the ruler of Pakistan. We have to deal with him and we are prepared to do so.” Dr Singh felt the General need not have made the statement on Kashmir in his address at the
UNGA. “Nevertheless, it is important to take a total view and not a coloured one.” The Prime Minister did not think that Iran’s purported nuclear programme would affect Indo-US relations. “I have an assurance from President George Bush that he is committed to implementing the civilian nuclear energy cooperation with India. There are no differences on Iran between India and the US. For India, another nuclear power in its neighbourhood is not desirable.” Dr Singh reiterated that being a member of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Iran must abide by all provisions. “India holds no brief for Iran.” The Prime Minister said India firmly desired that diplomacy must be given the maximum scope for a peaceful resolution of the Iran issue. The International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA) should be given a chance to work out a compromise. Being a member of the Board of Governors of the
IAEA, India would play a constructive at its meeting on September 19. Dr Singh maintained that he “did not see a crisis in Indo-US relations.” At the same time it was all a question of tactics as there were 3.5 million Indians working in the Middle-East in case of a
flareup. New Delhi had to weigh the factors of having the second largest Shia population in the world. Dr Singh appeared a little defensive about his casual remark pertaining to former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. This was in the larger context of the opposition to the US-India agreement on cooperation of civilian nuclear energy both back home and the Capitol Hill. Sarabjit case Mr Singh said he was satisfied with the response given to him by General Musharraf. He refused to elaborate. Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran stepped in to explain General Musharraf had told Dr Singh that Sarabjit Singh’s matter was entwined in legal issues. At the same time, he had assured that he would “look into the matter in the most humanitarian manner.” |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
No camps for terrorists in Pak, says Pervez New York, September 16 At the same time he
described his talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the sidelines of the U N General Assembly here as a “success.” even though there was no forward movement in the Indo-Pak peace process. “India-Pakistan relations are on the right track,” General Musharraf told a crowded press conference here late last afternoon. Stressing that confidence-building measures were necessary to defuse tension, he insisted that “we have moved ahead on that.” He had no doubt that the two neighbours were moving forward
towards peace and denied any deadlock over Jammu and Kashmir, which is at the root of tension between India and Pakistan. Terrorist violence in the state has claimed thousands of innocent lives. “It is not a deadlock. When you are talking of such critical issues bedevilling relations or Kashmir, this cannot be resolved in a day or two. General Musharraf acknowledged that there were differences in this regard but was also a commitment to move forward on all issues, including Kashmir. “You must understand the fact that we are able to talk to each other about Kashmir itself is a big thing. If the
Srinagar-Muzzafarabad bus service is not a step forward, then what is it, he asked. “If the opening of the borders for trade is not a step forward then what is it?” He drew pointed attention to Dr Singh meeting leaders of the separatist All-Party Hurriyat Conference and allowing them to go to Pakistan to meet him. He also spoke of his country’s intention of going ahead with the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project, irrespective or whether India joined it or not. He promised to be “very compassionate” to Sarabjit Singh, an Indian farmhand who has been sentenced to death in Pakistan on charges of spying and killing. |
||
|
Alleged ISI agent caught with sensitive document
New Delhi, September 16 Asim Wasim alias Samar Ali (25), hailing from Sadiqabad in Pakistan, was arrested from a courier shop in the Okhla area of South Delhi last evening when he was sending the document to a contact Shamsuddin in the UAE. The envelope was addressed to a post box in Al Wagaan in Al Yan in the UAE, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Ajay Kumar told mediapersons here today. When the envelope was opened, a copy of the Reddy Committee’s report on the Kargil War was recovered, he said. The report is a classified internal document of the Army based on an inquiry after the 1999 Kargil war wherein Pakistani troops had sneaked 10 km inside the Indian territory in Jammu and Kashmir and set up bases in the mountains of Kargil, provoking a conflict. Some other sensitive defense documents were also seized from him, Mr Kumar said. A fake Indian driving license purportedly issued from Hissar in Haryana, a pocket diary containing secret codes for communication and accommodation addresses of Pakistan Military Intelligence officers and an ATM card of Muslim Commercial Bank were also recovered from him, the DCP said. Wasim’s arrest comes close on the heels of the arrest of an alleged agent of Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) here. Mr Kumar, however, said there was apparently no link between the two. Wasim has confessed that he was working on the directions of Pakistan’s intelligence agencies and preliminary probe suggested that he did not acquire the report himself but from some other “sources”,Mr Kumar said. Asked whether the role of any Army personnel was being investigated in the leak of the sensitive document, he said “it is too early to say anything in this regard.” Wasim had entered India through Bangladesh and was staying in a rented house in Nizamuddin area here since May last year. He had visited several cities in India including Gwalior, Jaipur and Jodhpur in the past few months and had contacts in at least 15 cities, the DCP said. The police suspect Wasim may have sent secret documents out of India in the past also and is interrogating him in this regard. For his operations in India, he used to withdraw money, which was put into his account abroad, using the ATM of the Muslim Commercial Bank, Mr Kumar said. |
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
