DATE=5/21/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-232560
TITLE=INDIA / KASHMIR / L
BYLINE=DOUGLAS BAKSHIAN
DATELINE=NEW DELHI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: INDIA SAYS PAKISTAN HAS STEPPED UP MILITARY ACTIVITY
ALONG THE KASHMIR CEASEFIRE LINE. V-O-A NEW DELHI CORRESPONDENT
DOUGLAS BAKSHIAN REPORTS THE DEVELOPMENT FOLLOWS STRONG WORDS
ABOUT KASHMIR FROM INDIA'S HOME MINISTER, THIS WEEK.
TEXT: A GOVERNMENT STATEMENT RELEASED IN SRINAGAR -- THE CAPITAL
OF INDIAN KASHMIR -- SAYS, OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS, PAKISTAN HAS
BEEN FIRING ARTILLERY, MORTAR AND AUTOMATIC WEAPONS IN THE
FORWARD KUPWARA DISTRICT.
THE STATEMENT SAYS THE FIRING IS UNPROVOKED AND APPEARS TO BE A
COVER FOR SENDING HEAVILY-ARMED MILITANT GROUPS INTO THE KASHMIR
VALLEY. THE STATEMENT SAYS INDIA'S RESPONSE HAS BEEN RESTRAINED.
THERE IS NO INDEPENDENT VERIFICATION OF THE ACCOUNT.
THE DEVELOPMENT FOLLOWS REMARKS BY INDIAN HOME MINISTER LAL
KRISHNA ADVANI MONDAY SUGGESTING PAKISTAN IS LIKELY TO STEP UP
HOSTILE ACTIVITIES IN KASHMIR, FOLLOWING INDIA'S NUCLEAR TESTS.
IN ANOTHER STATEMENT WEDNESDAY, MR. ADVANI INDICATED INDIA WILL
DEAL MORE AGGRESSIVELY WITH MILITANCY IN KASHMIR. HE SAYS IT
WILL BE HANDLED PRO-ACTIVELY, NOT REACTIVELY AS IN THE PAST.
EARLIER THIS MONTH, INDIAN KASHMIR CHIEF MINISTER FAROOQ ABDULLAH
ANNOUNCED A MILITARY OPERATION AGAINST MUSLIM MILITANTS,
FOLLOWING SEVERAL MASSACRES OF HINDUS IN INDIAN KASHMIR.
HOWEVER, HE DID NOT SAY WHEN THE OPERATION WOULD BEGIN.
OUTBREAKS OF SHELLING ALONG THE CEASEFIRE LINE THAT DIVIDES
INDIAN AND PAKISTANI KASHMIR ARE NOT UNCOMMON. IT IS ONLY HEAVY
EXCHANGES THAT DRAW ATTENTION.
KASHMIR IS A DISPUTED TERRITORY OVER WHICH INDIAN AND PAKISTAN
HAVE FOUGHT TWO WARS. INDIA ACCUSES ISLAMABAD OF ARMING MILITANT
GROUP'S BATTLING FOR KASHMIR'S INDEPENDENCE, BUT PAKISTAN SAYS IT
PROVIDES ONLY DIPLOMATIC AND POLITICAL SUPPORT. (SIGNED)
NEB / WD / WD
21-May-98 6:27 AM EDT (1027 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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