The Hindu : Musharraf for comprehensive dialogue

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Apr 24, 2003

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Musharraf for comprehensive dialogue

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD April 23. Pakistan's President, Pervez Musharraf, has responded to the peace offer made by the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, saying Islamabad was prepared to engage in a comprehensive dialogue with New Delhi on Kashmir and other outstanding disputes. However, the Foreign Office has approached it very cautiously.

There is no euphoria in Pakistan over Mr. Vajpayee's initiative. On the contrary, there is a sense of unease and apprehension over the "conditionalities" invoked by the Prime Minister.

The carefully-drafted Foreign Office statement, which came three days after Mr. Vajpayee's offer, rejects the Indian premise on cross-border infiltration and militant camps. It repeats the old formula, rejected by New Delhi, suggesting a `neutral mechanism' for verification of allegations.

At a banquet in honour of the visiting Afghan President, Hamid Karzai, on Tuesday night, Gen. Musharraf referred to Mr. Vajpayee's speech. "Pakistan wishes to resolve all its disputes with India peacefully. We are prepared to engage in a comprehensive dialogue with India on Kashmir and all other outstanding issues." "We are glad to see positive indications coming lately," he said and expressed the hope that these indications "can be pursued to (a) greater interacting process".

Gen. Musharraf told Mr. Karzai that while developments on Pakistan's western borders were a matter of satisfaction, the same could not be said of its eastern (Indian) border. "India's unreasonable policy of show of force and refusal to hold talks has jeopardised the security of our region. We want a negotiated settlement of all issues with India. Kashmir has been at the heart of Pakistan-India differences since Independence".

Kashmir had been the main impediment in the development of normal relations between the two countries, he said adding that Pakistan's position on Kashmir was based on the United Nations Security Council resolutions.

The language of the Foreign Office was on the same lines. "If India is indeed serious, the Government of Pakistan would be ready to nominate a senior officials to discuss the agenda for the talks".

Pakistan's offer for talks at any level, any time and any place remains valid and India should seize the moment for durable peace, stability and economic development in South Asia, it stated.

Welcoming the positive elements in Mr. Vajpayee's speech, the Foreign Office said, "it is regrettable that in subsequent statements the Indian Prime Minister has undermined his own offer of friendship by repeating the hackneyed allegations against Pakistan and by placing preconditions for talks".

"Pakistan reiterates its proposal for stationing neutral observers to monitor alleged cross-LoC activities. This would be in the interest of objectivity, fairness and in accordance with international norms. Pakistan has taken a number of steps to ensure that its territory is not used for any prejudicial activities against other countries. Islamabad remains fully committed and determined to fight terrorism in all its forms and manifestations."

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