Author: PTI
Publication: Daily Excelsior
Date: May 9, 2003
URL: http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/web1/03may09/news.htm#1
PM moots no-proxy war pact with
Islamabad De-nuclearisation of South Asia ruled out
Declaring that India would move
with "utmost caution" on the peace initiatives with Pakistan, Prime Minister
Atal Behari Vajpayee today ruled out the possibility of de-nuclearisation
of South Asia and commended a no-proxy-war pact with Islamabad.
Brushing aside the opposition charge
in the Lok Sabha that Government conducted itself in an ad-hoc manner swinging
between extremes on Indo-Pak affairs, he asserted that end of cross-border
terrorism and dismantling of terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan were
a must for improvement of bilateral relations.
In a spirited half-an-hour reply
to a short discussion on the subject, he made it clear that friendship
with Islamabad should be maintained to the "extent possible" saying friends
could change but not neighbours.
He also indicated that immediate
resumption of sporting links may not be possible as a "conducive atmosphere"
was needed for that.
Dismissing Pakistan Prime Minister
Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali's suggestion for de-nuclearisation of South
Asia, Vajpayee said India's nuclear programme was not Pakistan specific
while the reverse was the case with Islamabad's programme.
"Our concern is not just Pakistan.
We have to keep in mind developments in other neighbouring countries as
well," the Prime Minister said.
Agreeing with opposition suggestion
for caution on the peace moves, he said "we will move with caution on every
aspect."
"Hum Doodh Ke Jale Hain, Chaach
Bhi Phook-Phook Kar Piyenge (after the bad experience of hot milk, even
butter milk has to be drunk cautiously)," Vajpayee said.
Referring to Pakistan's offer for
a no-war pact, he said "what is the meaning of a no-war pact". He went
on to say BJP chief whip V K Malhotra had rightly suggested that the two
countries should have a no-proxy war pact.
On Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam
Singh Yadav's comment that India and Pakistan should form a confederation,
he said "it was never there and never would be there". He, however, said
the world was progressing towards unity of nation like Europe including
erstwhile communist nations joining it.
Earlier, initiating the discussion,
leader of the opposition Sonia Gandhi accused the Government of lacking
in clarity, conviction and consistency in policies towards Pakistan, saying
it vacillated from one extreme to another giving an impression that it
was responding to external pressures.
Pleading not guilty on the failure
of the Agra summit, Vajpayee said Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf went
back empty-handed despite putting entire focus on the Kashmir issue.
The Prime Minister rebutted the
charge that the Government was not adequately prepared for Lahore and Agra
summits.
"Had we not been prepared, we would
not have been able to fight in Kargil succesfully. Their (Pakistan's) Prime
Minister had to go (after Kargil) as a result of an internal fight with
the Army chief (Musharraf)," he said.
Replying to another opposition query
as to what had happened now to initiate peace moves after crying from housetops
that cross border terrorism should end before talking to Pakistan, Vajpayee
said because of that India has been able to create world opinion in its
favour.
"This resulted in paving the way
for holding elections in J and K and this should be analysed in the right
perspective," he said regretting that Gandhi made no mention of it in her
speech.
Referring to Gandhi's remarks that
the question of handing over J and K to Pakistan was unacceptable, Vajpayee
shot back saying "who says Kashmir will go . Whoever says this, can that
person live here (in India). Nobody can break J and K."
Referring to another charge of Gandhi
that Government jumped into peace initiatives without adequate preparation
including in Agra, Vajpayee said all efforts made with good intentions
"sometimes are successful and fail sometimes".
Asserting that internal peace depended
on external peace, Vajpayee said "we should maintain friendship with Pakistan
to the extent possible. We can stay as friends or continue to fight and
be laughed at by the world."
An opportunity to make friendship
should not be lost, he said adding India and Pakistan should concentrate
and move ahead on resolving outstanding issues and not focus on Kashmir.
He said India would have to fight
its battle against terrorism without depending on anyone outside.
Vajpayee said elections in Jammu
and Kashmir and the US attack on Iraq were inter-related but was one of
the factors behind his current peace moves.
He said he decided to extend his
hand of friendship after he saw the people's mood during his visit to Srinagar
after the successful conduct of elections.
To questions on the time-frame and
the sequence the Government has in mind for resumption of the dialogue,
he said talks had not begun and only preparatory steps were underway.
