DATE=5/31/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-250020
TITLE=INDIA / PAK / KASHMIR (L)
BYLINE=JIM TEEPLE
DATELINE=NEW DELHI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: INDIA ON MONDAY ACCEPTED A PAKISTANI OFFER OF HOLDING
TALKS IN THE KASHMIR CRISIS. INDIA SAYS IT WILL WELCOME A VISIT
TO NEW DELHI LATER THIS WEEK BY PAKISTAN'S FOREIGN MINISTER TO
DISCUSS ENDING THE FIGHTING IN KASHMIR. VOA'S JIM TEEPLE REPORTS
AT THE SAME TIME INDIA SAYS IT WILL NOT END ITS MILITARY CAMPAIGN
TO DISLODGE WHAT IT DESCRIBES AS "INFILTRATORS" WHO ARE DUG IN ON
HIGH GROUND ON THE INDIAN SIDE OF THE KASHMIR BORDER.
TEXT: IN A MOVE TO DEFUSE THE KASHMIR CRISIS INDIA'S PRIME
MINISTER ATAL BEHARI VAJPAYEE FORMALLY ACCEPTED THE PAKISTANI
OFFER OF TALKS ON MONDAY. A SPOKESMAN AT INDIA'S FOREIGN
MINISTRY SAYS DETAILS OF THE VISIT TO INDIA BY PAKISTANI FOREIGN
MINISTER SARTAJ AZIZ WILL BE WORKED OUT IN COMING DAYS.
EARLIER MONDAY PRIME MINISTER VAJPAYEE LASHED OUT AT PAKISTAN
CALLING THE SITUATION IN KASHMIR "WAR LIKE." MR. VAJPAYEE SAID
INDIA WAS FACING NOT AN INFILTRATION, BUT IN HIS WORDS -- "A KIND
OF ATTACK FROM PAKISTAN." MR. VAJPAYEE SAID PAKISTAN WAS
TRYING TO ALTER INDIA'S BORDERS AND IF PAKISTAN WANTS TO IMPROVE
RELATIONS, IT HAS TO IN HIS WORDS "CALL THE INFILTRATORS BACK."
INDIAN OFFICIALS SAY EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE WILLING TO TALK TO
PAKISTAN THEY WILL NOT END THEIR MILITARY CAMPAIGN TO DISLODGE
THE INFILTRATORS. INDIAN COMMANDERS SAY THEY ARE HAVING
INCREASING SUCCESS -- KILLING MORE THAN 400 OF THE INFILTRATORS
AND RETAKING SOME OF THEIR POSITIONS.
FIGHTING IS DESCRIBED AS HEAVY IN THE KARGIL AND DRAS AREAS WHICH
LIE ABOUT 200 KILOMETERS NORTHEAST OF SRINIGAR, THE SUMMER
CAPITAL OF INDIA'S JAMMU AND KASHMIR STATE. MAJOR GENERAL J-J
SINGH SAYS INDIAN FORCES HAVE STOPPED THE INFILTRATORS FROM
ACHIEVING THEIR GOAL, WHICH HE SAYS WAS TO CUT OR DISRUPT TRAFFIC
ON THE MAIN ROAD LINKING SRINIGAR WITH LEH, THE MAIN CITY IN
NORTHEASTERN KASHMIR.
// INSERT SINGH ACTUALITY //
OUR REACTIONS HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY FAST AND EFFECTIVE. AS YOU
CAN SEE THEY HAVE ONLY COME INTO OUR TERRITORY FOUR OR FIVE
KILOMETERS AND THEY HAVE BEEN HELD UP THERE. IT'S OBVIOUS THEIR
GAME PLAN WAS TO COME UP TO THE ROAD CAPTURE HEIGHTS DOMINATING
THE ROAD AND PREVENT ANY MOVEMENT INTO THE LEH SECTOR AND THE
OTHER THINGS THAT WOULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH SUCH A PLAN.
// END ACTUALITY //
ON MONDAY INDIA CARRIED OUT A SIXTH DAY OF AIR ATTACKS AGAINST
POSITIONS OCCUPIED BY THE INFILTRATORS USING SOPHISTICATED FRENCH
BUILT MIRAGE 2000 JETS AGAINST THEIR POSITIONS. THE JETS CAN DROP
"CLUSTER BOMBS" OR USE GUIDED MISSILES. THEY ALSO CARRY
SOPHISTICATED ELECTRONIC GEAR WHICH CAN JAM AN ENEMY'S AIR
DEFENSE SYSTEM.
INDIAN COMMANDERS SAY WHILE THEY ARE HAVING SUCCESS AGAINST THE
INFILTRATORS IT COULD TAKE WEEKS IF NOT MONTHS TO FLUSH THEM OUT
COMPLETELY. (SIGNED)
NEB/JLT/PLM
31-May-99 7:01 AM EDT (1101 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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