Wonderful News- Indian P.M. reaches out to Pakistan

We are ready to talk peace, says Vajpayee


TIMES NEWS NETWORK

EW DELHI: Terming terrorism as the sole stumbling block in Indo-Pak relations, Prime Minister Vajpayee has said that if Islamabad’s rulers ‘‘shed (their) anti-India mentality’’ and stop promoting cross-border terrorism, ‘‘India (would be) willing to walk more than half the distance to work closely with Pakistan to resolve, through dialogue, any issue, including the contentious issue of Jammu and Kashmir’’.

Vajpayee’s offer of dialogue on Kashmir was the highlight of a New Year message to the nation, made public Monday.

The Prime Minister once again reiterated what he had written last year in his ‘Musings from Kumarakom’: ‘‘In our search for a lasting solution to the Kashmir problem, both in its external and internal dimensions, we shall not traverse solely on the beaten track of the past’’.

At the same time, Vajpayee warned Pakistan that it was nursing “a dangerous delusion” in its belief that Jammu and Kashmir could be separated by resorting to religious extremism and terrorism. ‘‘Terrorism bled Punjab, but in the end, it fled Punjab. It could not dent Hindu-Sikh unity... the terrorists and their mentors are doomed to fail in Jammu and Kashmir also.”

Significantly, the PM hinted at ‘‘certain temporary measures’’ by the government — that might cause ‘‘hardship’’ to citizens — to support the country’s fight against terrorism which, he warned, would ‘‘necessarily be a long one.’’

The current times were ‘‘unprecedented’’ and people must be ready ‘‘for any eventuality’’ and display the ‘‘fist of unity’’ that they have always done during past wars.

Hinting at continuing problems in the future, he said: ‘‘One should neither expect a quick and painless victory, nor despair if more terrorist strikes take place.’’

India’s search for peace and normal relations with Pakistan, he said, had continued at Agra this year, despite the ‘‘betrayal’’ in Kargil earlier. ‘‘Our efforts will be further intensified, if Pakistan demonstrates its matching sincerity to have peace with India.’’ However, he gave no indication of an early round of talks.

He threw ‘‘a challenge of the New Year and the New Century’’ at Gen Musharraf: Let Pakistan, which did a “commendable” U-turn in its Afghanistan policy and joined the international fight against terrorism, pursue the same line with regard to Kashmir.

If Pakistan continued to foster extremism from across the border, then the world community would judge Pakistan’s changed position as “opportunistic.” It will conclude that Pakistan, “far from being a part of the solution, will remain a part of the problem itself.”

India had made “legitimate demands” of the government of Pakistan in the wake of terror attacks on Indian Parliament. Pakistan’s sincerity would be judged by its readiness to meet these demands.

“We also hope that our friends in the international community will bring requisite pressures on Pakistan to give up its double standard on terrorism,” the PM said.

 

I have heard reports tonight of arrests in Pakistan. For good reason though, I don't feel that the Pakistani President has control of the Pakistani Secret Police (ISI).

What a messy situation! The ISI seems to be at the root of many problems, including allowing Taliban and Al Queda members to escape from Afghanistan.