DATE=5/29/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-249983
TITLE=INDIA/FIGHTING UPDATE (L)
BYLINE=ANJANA PASRICHA
DATELINE=NEW DELHI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: INDIA SAYS IT WILL CONTINUE MILITARY OPERATIONS TO IT
EXPEL FROM INDIAN KASHMIR ALL OF WHAT IT SAYS ARE
PAKISTANI-BACKED INFILTRATORS. THIS, AS DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS ARE
UNDERWAY TO EASE TENSION BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN OVER THE
DISPUTED REGION. AFTER FOUR DAYS OF AIR STRIKES SATURDAY,
CONSIDERATION WAS BEING GIVEN TO PAKISTAN'S FOREIGN MINISTER
TRAVELING TO INDIA IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS. ANJANA PASRICHA REPORTS
FROM NEW DELHI.
TEXT: INDIAN COMMANDERS SAY AREAS OCCUPIED BY INFILTRATORS ON
THE INDIAN SIDE OF KASHMIR ARE SHRINKING, AND THE INTRUDERS ARE
NOW OPERATING IN "ISOLATED POCKETS." ACCORDING TO MAJOR GENERAL
J-J SINGH, COMBINED OPERATIONS BY THE AIR FORCE AND ARMY ARE
SHOWING RESULTS.
/// INSERT SINGH ACT ///
AS ACTIONS BY GROUND TROOPS CONTINUE IN KARGIL SECTOR,
THE AREA OCCUPIED BY THE INTRUDERS IS SHRINKING AS THEY
ARE THROWN OUT FROM ONE HEIGHT AFTER ANOTHER. AT MANY
PLACES, THE COHESION OF THESE GROUPS OF INTRUDERS HAS
BEEN SHATTERED AND THEY ARE OPERATING IN ISOLATED
POCKETS. MOPPING UP ACTIONS WILL BE A CONTINUING PART OF
THIS OPERATION CLEAN UP BY THE INDIAN ARMY.
///END SINGH ACT///
BUT DEFENSE OFFICIALS ADMIT IT WILL TAKE TIME TO CLEAR THE AREA
OF INTRUDERS. THEY SAY THE PAKISTANI-BACKED INFILTRATORS HAD DUG
INTO POSITIONS AS DEEP AS SIX KILOMETERS INSIDE INDIAN TERRITORY
AT SOME PLACES, AND HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF MOUNTAIN TERRAIN TO
SHELTER THEM.
PAKISTAN DENIES IT IS HELPING THE INFILTRATORS WITH ARMS OR
MILITARY SUPPORT.
GENERAL SINGH SAYS INDIA HAS RECOVERED THE BODY OF ONE PAKISTANI
SOLDIER, AS WELL AS IDENTITY PAPERS OF OTHER TROOPS -- PROVING
THAT REGULAR PAKISTANI ARMY FORCES ARE FIGHTING ALONG WITH THE
INTRUDERS.
DEFENSE OFFICIALS ALSO SAY THE BODY OF AN INDIAN PILOT, RETURNED
BY PAKISTAN, HAS BULLET MARKS -- INDICATING THE PILOT MAY HAVE
BEEN SHOT AFTER HE EJECTED FROM HIS AIRCRAFT.
MEANWHILE, INDIAN PRIME MINISTER ATAL BEHARI VAJPAYEE BRIEFED
OPPOSITION LEADERS SATURDAY ABOUT THE ARMY ACTION IN KARGIL.
PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS MINISTER, R. KUMARAMANGLAM, LATER TOLD
REPORTERS THE PRIME MINISTER TOLD HIS PAKISTANI COUNTERPART,
NAWAZ SHARIF, BY TELEPHONE FRIDAY THAT INDIA WILL NOT HALT THE
OPERATION UNTIL THE INTRUDERS ARE CLEARED FROM INDIAN KASHMIR.
///INSERT KUMARAMANGLAM ACT///
IT CANNOT BE ONE-SIDED. YOU (PAKISTAN) CANNOT SEND IN
INTRUDERS WITH ARMS AND WEAPONS, AND SUPPORT FROM
REGULARS AND ALSO EXPECT US TO STOP ANY ACTION ON OUR
SIDE. THE QUESTION DOES NOT ARISE OF OUR AGREEING TO ANY
NEW SHIFTING OF THE LINE OF CONTROL, OR ANY SUCH
ATTEMPTS. OF COURSE WE ARE WILLING TO TALK, THERE IS NO
PROBLEM ABOUT THAT. BUT NO PRECONDITIONS OF THIS
VARIETY, AND WE WILL MOVE STEADILY, FIRMLY AND EVICT ALL
THE INTRUDERS.
///END KUMARAMANGLAM ACT///
DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS ARE UNDERWAY TO RESOLVE THE CRISIS. INDIA
AND PAKISTAN HAVE FOUGHT TWO WAR OVER KASHMIR SINCE 1947.
(SIGNED)
NEB/AP/TMD/JO
29-May-99 5:44 PM EDT (2144 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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