DATE=6/2/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-250115
TITLE=INDIA / PAK / KASHMIR (L)
BYLINE=JIM TEEPLE
DATELINE=NEW DELHI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: INDIA SAYS IT IS CONSIDERING ALLOWING WHAT IT DESCRIBES AS
INFILTRATORS FROM PAKISTAN SAFE PASSAGE BACK TO PAKISTAN IF THEY
QUIT FIGHTING. THE ANNOUNCEMENT CAME WEDNESDAY, AS INDIAN
FIGHTER JETS BEGAN A SECOND WEEK OF AIRSTRIKES AGAINST THE
INFILTRATORS. MEANWHILE ARTILLERY DUELS BETWEEN INDIAN AND
PAKISTANI TROOPS CONTINUED FOR A SECOND DAY ALONG THE KASHMIR
BORDER. (OPT) PAKISTAN SAYS THREE SCHOOLCHILDREN WERE KILLED BY
INDIAN FIRE ON WEDNESDAY, ADDING TO SEVEN KILLED IN A SIMILAR
INCIDENT ON TUESDAY. AS A RESULT, PAKISTAN SAYS IT IS CLOSING
SCHOOLS CLOSE TO THE KASHMIR BORDER. (END OPT) VOA'S JIM TEEPLE
REPORTS FROM NEW DELHI, INDIAN COMMANDERS DENY THE CLAIMS AND SAY
THEIR GROUND TROOPS HAVE RETAKEN ALMOST HALF THE TERRITORY SEIZED
BY THE INFILTRATORS.
TEXT: SPEAKING AT THE LAUNCHING OF INDIA'S NEWEST BATTLESHIP IN
BOMBAY, INDIAN PRIME MINISTER ATAL BEHARI VAJPAYEE SAYS THE
GUERRILLA INFILTRATORS WHO ENTERED KASHMIR FROM PAKISTAN COULD BE
GIVEN SAFE PASSAGE BACK TO PAKISTAN IF THEY AGREE TO QUIT
FIGHTING.
RAMINDER JASSAL, INDIA FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN, SAYS IF THE
INFILTRATORS ACCEPT SAFE PASSAGE BACK TO PAKISTAN THE CONFLICT
COULD END QUICKLY.
// INSERT JASSAL ACTUALITY //
SAFE PASSAGE IS MOVMENT BACKWARD BEFORE THEY ARE
ELIMINATED. IF THEY WERE TO MOVE BACKWARD WHICH WOULD
BE PRUDENT FOR THEM, IT WOULD END THE CAUSE OF THE
CONFLICT ITSELF.
,// END ACTUALITY //
// OPT // ONE KASHMIRI MILITANT LEADER INVOLVED IN THE
INFILTRATION REJECTED INDIA'S OFFER ON WEDNESDAY, SAYING HIS
FORCES PLAN TO MOVE FORWARD NOT BACKWARD. FAZALUR REHMAN
KHALIL, WHO HEADS THE ISLAMIST HARAKATUL MUJAHADEEN MOVEMENT,
SAYS HIS FORCES ALSO CALLED THE INDIAN AIR STRIKES INEFFECTIVE.
INDIAN OFFICIALS ON WEDNESDAY ISSUED A SERIES OF CONCILIATORY
STATEMENTS. FOREIGN MINISTER JASWANT SINGH CALLED THE FIGHTING
IN KASHMIR AN ABERRATION THAT SHOULD NOT DESTROY THE GAINS OF
PEACE TALKS HELD IN FEBRUARY WHEN PRIME MINISTER VAJPAYEE
TRAVELED TO PAKISTAN ON A BUS TO HOLD TALKS WITH HIS COUNTERPART
NAWAZ SHARIF. // END OPT //
PRIME MINISTER VAJPAYEE CONFIRMED WEDNESDAY THAT MR. SINGH WILL
HOLD TALKS LATER THIS WEEK WITH PAKISTAN'S FOREIGN MINISTER
SARTAJ AZIZ -- ALTHOUGH NO DATE HAS YET BEEN SET.
RAMINDER JASSAL OF INDIA'S FOREIGN MINISTRY SAYS THE TALKS WILL
BE FOCUSED ON HOW TO GET THE INFILTRATORS OUT OF INDIAN
TERRITORY.
// INSERT 2ND JASSAL ACTUALITY //
A LINE OF CONTROL THAT HAS BEEN DELINEATED BY BOTH SIDES
AND WHICH FLOWS FROM AN AGREEMENT REACHED BY BOTH
COUNTRIES OUGHT TO HAVE BEEN RESPECTED BY THE OTHER
SIDE. THEY HAVE NOT RESPECTED THAT. THE INTRUSION
HAS TAKEN PLACE ACROSS THE DELINEATED LINE OF CONTROL
AND THAT IS WHAT IS BEING PUSHED BACKWARD (BY US). SO
THE POINT TO BE PUT ACROSS IN THE TALKS IS HOW IS THIS
TO BE DONE -- EITHER IT WILL BE DONE VOLUNTARILLY BY
THOSE WHO HAVE INTRUDED OR THEY WILL BE EVICTED BY
MILITARY MEANS.
// END ACTUALITY //
MR. JASSAL SAYS THERE IS NO QUESTION OF STOPPING EITHER AIR
STRIKES OR GROUND ATTTACKS UNTIL THE INFILTRATORS ARE PUSHED BACK
ACROSS THE SO-CALLED "LINE OF CONTROL" THAT DIVIDES KASHMIR.
MEANWHILE, INDIAN ARMY COMMANDERS SAY THEY HAVE RETAKEN NEARLY
HALF THE TERRITORY SEIZED BY THE INFILTRATORS. COMMANDERS
CONTINUE TO INISIST THERE ARE REGULAR PAKISTANI ARMY TROOPS AMONG
THE INFILTRATORS, ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE YET TO OFFER DOCUMENTARY
PROOF BACKING UP THEIR CLAIMS. INDIAN COMMANDERS SAY THERE IS
FIERCE FIGHTING GOING ON IN KASHMIR BUT THEY ARE METHODICALLY
ENCIRCLING THE INFILTRATORS WHO ARE DUG IN ON HIGH GROUND.
(SIGNED)
NEB/JLT/KL
02-Jun-99 9:57 AM EDT (1357 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
