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PM hopes Pak. won't disrupt J&K polls
By Neena Vyas
TOKYO, DEC. 11. Japan wants India to talk to Pakistan with love. But, India has conveyed to the Japanese Prime Minister, Mr. Junichiro Koizumi, the various initiatives it has taken to start a comprehensive dialogue covering all outstanding issues. The fact that Assembly elections are to be held in Jammu and Kashmir shortly has also been emphasised, the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, said here today.
Addressing correspondents covering his five-day visit to Japan which concluded today, Mr. Vajpayee expressed the hope that Pakistan would not try to disrupt the elections in any way and allow the people to freely make their democratic choice.
``Pakistan should not create hurdles in the way of holding polls (in Jammu and Kashmir). Let the people of the State freely come out, participate in the elections without fear,'' he said.
To a question whether Japan wanted India to resume talks with Pakistan to resolve outstanding disputes, he said that every friendly nation wanted New Delhi to do so. He told Mr. Koizumi that India was facing certain difficulties and the atmosphere was not ``congenial.''
Turning to India-Japan relations, Mr. Vajpayee said there was a new strength and maturity now on both bilateral and international levels covering a wide range of issues. This was the major achievement of the visit - a strong friendship between the two countries.
It was clear that the bitterness that had crept in after India's nuclear tests in May 1998 was more or less a thing of the past.
In fact, even on the contentious Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, Japan had understood India's strategic defence needs and its commitment to maintaining the self-declared moratorium on further tests. This shows a maturity in the relations, he added.
Mr. Vajpayee said he hoped Japan would support India's membership of the Security Council. India would certainly support Japan on the International Court of Justice. He was responding to a question on whether India had been assured of Japan's support for a permanent membership of the Council.
The two countries had decided on regular interactions between Foreign, Defence and Finance Ministers and others dealing with economic Ministries, Mr. Vajpayee confirmed. It was as clear a hint as possible that specific areas of cooperation would be discussed at those levels.
On the bilateral front, he said Japan would send an economic mission to India, perhaps early next year, although the dates were to be fixed. The indication was that this mission would discuss the specific areas in which Japan could invest to help build India's infrastructure. Mr. Koizumi confirmed that Japan attached great importance to strengthening economic relations with India. Japan was ready to help, Mr. Vajpayee stated categorically.
India had assured Japan of its commitment to going ahead with the second generation economic reforms and wanted Japan too to come forward and help in the financial and banking services sectors.
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