India declines mediation, Pak rejects LoC as solution on Kashmir
Pakistan Times Staff Report

NEW DELHI (India): Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has said that India is willing to look at “all possible ways” of resolving all outstanding problems including Kashmir issue with Pakistan.

Ruling out any third party mediation on the dispute, the Prime Minister expressed, "Our position is that so long as Pakistan remains committed to the January 6, statement, which was jointly issued by General Pervez Musharraf and by former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee—that territory under the control of Pakistan will not be used to promote cross-border terrorism, we are willing to look at all possible ways of resolving all outstanding issues and that includes Jammu and Kashmir."

'Very Important Lesson'

In an interview to the Financial Times, published in Monday’s issue, Dr Singh described as a “very important lesson” the European Union integration model for strengthening economic relations between India and Pakistan.

“It is our honest belief that in relationship between India and Pakistan if a durable solution is to be found, it cannot be imposed from outside, he said adding, “It has to be a solution in which both countries genuinely believe that bilateral negotiations are the best means to resolve the outstanding problems, he said.”

The interview was given at Prime Minister’s official residence in Delhi prior to his three-day visit to The Hague for the India-EU Summit, said a news report. The Prime Minister said he believed that when dealing with seemingly intractable problems one had to be confident of one’s own sincerity in trying to find a solution.

Meeting with Musharraf

Dr Singh said his hour-long meeting with President Pervez Musharraf on September-24 provided them an opportunity to get to know each other. “Now President Musharraf has been saying and he has been realistic enough to say, that solutions that are not acceptable to India should be out and solutions that are not acceptable to Pakistan should be out—and I said to him that I would like to hear suggestions from him. So we welcome various suggestions,” Singh maintained, according to the report received here.

Expressing that the two countries were dealing with “complicated issues”, he said “there is such a thing as history behind us and there are also realities on the ground. “Taking all this into account, we are willing, I think to look all options, to think about a new chapter and a new beginning between our two countries,” he added.

Gas Pipeline

To a query about the proposed gas pipeline from Iran to India via Pakistan, Singh recalled that in his joint statement with President Musharraf, the two leaders had expressed their joint interest in the development of this pipeline and “it could be an important factor” in de-linking this from progress on other issues”.

The Prime Minister said “a strong, stable and prosperous Pakistan” was in India’s interest. “We don’t want any of our relations to enter the category of a failed state. We have a vested interest in Pakistan’s prosperity,” he said.

Observing that it was a good moment for movement, the Prime Minister said, “the atmosphere is right and we must build on that atmosphere to begin a new chapter in the relationship between the two counties”.

Solution based on LoC Not Acceptable: Pakistan

'Pakistan Times' Federal Bureau Chief Rafique Goraya adds: Back in Islamabad, Pakistan Monday said any solution based on Line of Control [LoC] was unacceptable, saying there was no pre-conceived formula for the settlement of the long simmering dispute of Jammu and Kashmir.

“The status quo is the problem; not the solution,” Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan said. He said “any solution based on LoC is not acceptable to Pakistan,” adding this point has been made by the President repeatedly.

Speaking here at the weekly briefing he said, “all issues relating to Jammu and Kashmir are subject to debate and negotiations,” he said. He was responding to a statement by Altaf Hussain that the LoC be made into a permanent border.

Khan, however, made it clear that “Any solution to the dispute has to be in accordance with the wishes of the people of Kashmir. There is no pre-conceived formula.”

Rejects Indian Rhetoric

To a question about an Indian Defence Ministry report regarding 'infiltration' through the LoC, the spokesman said the claim was incorrect. He said it was advisable for both the Indian Home Ministry and others to desist from making such contradictory statements.

He said the Indians have to make up their mind, one week there is a statement that infiltration has gone down, and next week they say it has gone up. “They have to be clear in what they are saying,” he added.

The real issue he said was the resolution of issues of Human Rights abuses in Indian held Kashmir, he added. He said the ceasefire between the two countries at the LoC was holding since Oct 25, 2003 and termed it “the biggest CBM put in place.”

Muzaffarabad- Srinagar Bus

To a question about the proposed Muzaffarabad- Srinagar bus service, he said, talks would be held next month and experts would discuss all aspects, regarding documentation and other matters. He said, “we need to demonstrate restraint from making statements, which do not contribute to the peace process.”

Masood Khan rejected when asked whether there was any pressure on the Kashmiri leaders belonging to the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) to hold talks with Pakistan.

He said there was a need of greater interaction between the Kashmiris living on either side of the LoC. He referred to earlier statements by Indian leaders saying there would be no restriction on Kashmiris from visiting their fellow Kashmiris across the LoC.

He said the people of Kashmir need to be assured that their wishes would be respected. “One sided approach cannot produce results,” he added.

Of Restrictions on the Kashmiri Leaders

To another question about restriction on the Kashmiri leader Syed Ali Gillani to visit Pakistan, the spokesman referred to the statements from India that these leaders would be allowed to visit Pakistan. He however added that “discriminatory approach will not help, as Kashmiris are part of this discourse.”

When asked whether there was any pressure on Mir Waiz Umar Farooq to talk to Pakistan first, he said “We have to learn to respect their views and independence.”

He said there was no pressure from Islamabad on any Kashmiri leader to hold talks with Pakistan first. He said there were three principal parties to the dispute and it was not possible to leave any one out.

Pak-US Dialogue

Pakistan and the United States will discuss wide ranging issues including cooperation in defence and war on terror during the visit of US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage.

Armitage who is here and would meet President General Pervez Musharraf, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri and hold formal talks with Foreign Secretary Riaz Khokhar. “Pakistan would like to have a stable, durable and long-lasting relation with the United States,” he told a questioner.

Masood Khan said the agenda of discussion would include Pakistan-India dialogue, regional and international issues and the situation in Afghanistan and Iraq. He said Armitage’s visit was planned before the US elections, but has gained added importance after the re-election of President George W Bush.

Pak-US Ties

He said Pakistan and the United States have worked hard to strengthen bilateral relations in all spheres, particularly in defence. “Pakistan would like to consolidate these relations.” He said the two sides would discuss the post election Afghanistan as peace and stability there was very important.

The two countries, Khan said, would continue cooperation in the war on terror and Pakistan-India dialogue would figure prominently. He said the USA and other countries were encouraging talks between Pakistan and India in resolving all outstanding issues.

Pakistan and United States would also evaluate the emerging situation in Middle East and the volatile security situation in Iraq will be discussed.●