NO TALKS WITH ISLAMABAD UNTIL TERRORISM STOPS
- SAYS ADVANI
The Deputy Prime Minister,
Shri L.K. Advani has emphasized in unequivocal terms that New
Delhi is not interested in resuming dialogue with Pakistan until
the cross-border terrorism is totally stopped. He also said that
President Musharraf has shown no serious intention of halting
Pakistan’s support for terrorists. The Deputy Prime Minister who
was on a four-day visit to Britain told "The Times"
in London that infiltration across the border has come down but
what is more important is that we still see no intention of Pakistan
abandoning the use of terrorists as an instrument of State Policy
in respect of Jammu & Kashmir. Shri Advani insisted that there
is a firm consensus that unless Islamabad abandons this path of
terrorism altogether there is no point in talking, in discussing.
Referring to the Summit
meetings between Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and President
Musharraf he said, these Sumits aroused high expectations unnecessarily.
Today there is no point in that, he said, accusing General Musharraf
of wanting to impress the West with "tactical moves"
rather than changing his strategy of backing the Kashmiri militants.
Shri Advani said that Islamabad continued to arm, train, finance
and grant asylum to separatists in Guerrilla Camps in Pakistan
controlled Kashmir. He said India is still waiting for Pakistan
to act against the 20 terrorist suspects wanted in India for involvement
in hijacking and bombings, most of whom are Indian nationals.
Giving a chilling
account of how the two sides came close to war in December last
year after Islamic militants launched an attack on the Indian
Parliament in Delhi, he said it could have been a tragedy far
worse than the September 11 attack on the World Trade Centre,
if those 5 terrorists had managed to get inside the Parliament
House. Answering questions during the interview with Richard Beeston
Shri L.K. Advani said he doesn’t regard General Musharraf as the
problem. It is the mindset of whosoever comes to office in Pakistan
which has been a problem for us. Our two countries are geographically
and historically so connected that peace and harmony between us
is imperative for the welfare of both. He said that India is ready
to resume full relations with Pakistan if it is presented with
real evidence that the militant campaign was over. We would be
satisfied if something concrete is done which convinces New Delhi
that now they will not pursue the terrorist path, he added.
