The Hindu : We will tread carefully: PM

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 09, 2003

Front Page

Front Page

We will tread carefully: PM

By Amit Baruah

NEW DELHI May 8. The Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, said today the Pakistani suggestion of "de-nuclearisation'' was not acceptable to India since New Delhi's nuclear programme was not Pakistan-specific.

Replying to a debate on India-Pakistan relations in the Lok Sabha, Mr. Vajpayee said that while Pakistan's nuclear programme was India-centric, New Delhi had to take into account the environment that developed in (India's) neighbouring nations.

The Prime Minister, who was repeatedly warned by members to proceed with caution when it came to dealing with Pakistan, said he would tread very carefully.

He said that India's nuclear doctrine envisaged a "no-first-strike'' option, but Pakistan had refused to provide such a commitment. The Prime Minister questioned the utility of a "no-war pact'' and instead went along with a party member who suggested a "no-proxy war pact''. Under fire from the Opposition for "failures'' in Lahore and Agra, the Prime Minister said the search for peace was not a crime. Success or failure, he felt, was not the issue. "Just because we might fail — that was not a reason not to try."

Refusing to accept that he was to "blame'' for Lahore, Mr. Vajpayee reiterated that one had to live with one's neighbours. "We should not lose the chance of improving relations,'' he said.

Pilloried by some members for suddenly dropping the condition that there would be no contact with Pakistan till it ended cross-border terrorism, the Prime Minister appeared a trifle defensive on the question.

In his defence of the "new beginning'', the Prime Minister said he was inspired by the crowds that gathered to hear his speech in Srinagar last month. The message was clear — that the people had rejected the poison of communalism.

Pointing out that he had received several "receptions'' in the past in Kashmir, the Prime Minister repeated a point he made recently in the Rajya Sabha that Iraq had changed things, making the United Nations ineffective. Small, developing, Non-Aligned nations, had to move in the "direction of change''.

Mr. Vajpayee argued that the "reception'' on April 18 and the war on Iraq, seemingly different events, were actually related. "That day I felt there was need for a new beginning.''

He claimed that even the terrorists were divided — they had differing politics. Though it was felt that they were united, the reality was different.

Saying that there were indications of change, Mr. Vajpayee said he had extended the hand of friendship, but Pakistan had to end terrorism.

Describing the resumption of diplomatic contact with Pakistan as "purvabhyas'' (preparatory work), the Prime Minister said talks had not yet begun.

Giving an account of the April 28 telephone conversation with the Pakistan Prime Minister, Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, Mr. Vajpayee said the Pakistani leader had suggested playing a game of hockey.

However, Mr. Vajpayee told Mr. Jamali what kind of a game it would turn out to be if the news came in that 50 people had been killed by terrorists. Will such a game lead to friendship? "I told him (Mr. Jamali) that terrorism must be finished,'' Mr. Vajpayee, said.

The Pakistani leader said they too faced the problem of terrorism. Terrorism, Mr. Jamali said, could be fought together by India and Pakistan.

Responding to a point made by the Congress leader, Sonia Gandhi, the Prime Minister said there was no question of partitioning Jammu and Kashmir.

("Who says Kashmir will go? Whoever says this, can that person live here (in India)? Nobody can break Jammu and Kashmir.")

To the Samajwadi Party leader, Mulayam Singh Yadav, he said there could not be a "federation'' between India and Pakistan. The Prime Minister claimed that there had been "preparations'' before the summit meetings in Lahore and Agra.

Giving an account of his discussions with then Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, in Lahore, Mr. Vajpayee said there was an agreement not to refer to Kashmir as it was a complicated issue, but move forward by addressing other issues.

But, in Agra, the Pakistani President, Pervez Musharraf, wanted India to accept "his position'' on Kashmir. Mr. Vajpayee claimed that Gen. Musharraf had to return "empty-handed'' from Lahore. The Prime Minister said he had taken the position that cross-border terrorism must end before talks could begin because he wanted the problem to end. Such a position was taken in order to stop terrorism — that was the ultimate objective.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page

Stories in this Section

We will tread carefully: PM

We are with you, what about your allies, asks Sonia

GSLV lifts off, places satellite in orbit

3 Cong. MPs defy party line

Pak. delegation crosses over to India

Amendment okayed

SARS: India back on list

IED found near HC gate

Death sparks protest

Musharraf's 'absolute assurance'

Bail granted for VHP men

Takes over