DATE=6/8/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-250353
TITLE=INDIA / PAK / KASHMIR (L)
BYLINE=JIM TEEPLE
DATELINE=NEW DELHI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: INDIA SAYS IT ACCEPTS PAKISTAN'S OFFER FOR TALKS ON THE
KASHMIR CRISIS. INDIA'S FOREIGN MINISTRY ON TUESDAY SAYS IT HAS
ACCEPTED A FORMAL PROPOSAL FROM PAKISTAN FOR TALKS BUT THE TALKS
WILL BE CONFINED TO GETTING WHAT INDIA DESCRIBES AS
"PAKISTANI-BACKED ARMED INTRUDERS" OUT OF INDIAN TERRITORY IN
KASHMIR. VOA'S JIM TEEPLE REPORTS FROM OUR NEW DELHI BUREAU
WHILE INDIA SAYS IT WILL TALK TO PAKISTAN IT ALSO SAYS IT WILL
CONTINUE WITH ITS MILITARY CAMPAIGN IN KASHMIR.
TEXT: INDIA SAYS IT WILL WELCOME PAKISTAN'S FOREIGN MINISTER
SARTAJ AZIZ THIS SATURDAY FOR TALKS WITH INDIA'S FOREIGN
MINISTER JASWANT SINGH IN NEW DELHI.
THE TALKS ARE EXPECTED TO LAST ONE DAY AND RAMINDER JASSAL, THE
CHIEF SPOKESMAN FOR INDIA'S FOREIGN MINISTRY SAYS THERE WILL BE
NO PRECONDITIONS. AT THE SAME TIME MR. JASSAL SAYS PAKISTAN
SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THE TALKS WILL BE CONFINED TO GETTING, WHAT
INDIA CALLS "ARMED INFILTRATORS," OUT OF ITS TERRITORY.
// INSERT JASSAL ACTUALITY //
THERE ARE NO PRECONDITIONS, BUT WE HAVE MADE IT VERY CLEAR IN
OUR STATEMENTS THAT THIS VISIT IS TAKING PLACE AGAINST THE
BACKDROP OF THE INCURSION IN THE KARGIL SECTOR OF THE STATE OF
JAMMU AND KASHMIR AND IT IS IN THIS CONTEXT THAT WE SEE THE
VISIT.
// END ACTUALITY //
PAKISTAN DENIES THAT IT BACKS THE INFILTRATORS OR THAT ITS TROOPS
ARE FIGHTING ALONGSIDE THEM -- AS INDIA CLAIMS.
SPEAKING TO THE NATION LATE MONDAY NIGHT, INDIA'S PRIME MINISTER
ATAL BEHARI VAJPAYEE ACCUSED PAKISTAN OF USING FORCE TO
UNILATERALLY ALTER THE "LINE OF CONTROL," THE CEASEFIRE LINE
WHICH DIVIDES KASHMIR. MR. VAJPAYEE SAYS THE CURRENT CONFLICT
IS DANGEROUS FOR BOTH COUNTRIES AND PAKISTAN SHOULD UNDERSTAND
INDIA'S RESOLVE WHEN IT COMES TO EVICTING THE "INFILTRATORS,"
FROM INDIAN TERRITORY.
// INSERT VAJPAYEE ACTUALITY //
IT IS A SERIOUS SITUATION. IT IS A SITUATION THAT IS FRAUGHT
WITH DANGER. IT IS A SITUATION THAT HAS ARISEN FROM ONE SIMPLE
FACT -- THE DECISION OF PAKISTAN TO CROSS THE LINE OF CONTROL,
TO SEND ITS MEN AND MATERIAL TO OCCUPY OUR TERRITORY. NO
GOVERNMENT CAN TOLERATE SUCH AN INCURSION AND OUR GOVERNMENT
CERTAINLY WILL NOT.
// END ACTUALITY //
// OPT // MR. VAJPAYEE ALSO SAYS IF PAKISTAN TRIES TO CHANGE THE
BOUNDARIES OF THE "LINE OF CONTROL," THROUGH SATURDAY'S UPCOMING
TALKS -- THOSE TALKS WILL END BEFORE THEY BEGIN.
TWO OF THE THREE WARS INDIA AND PAKISTAN HAVE FOUGHT HAVE BEEN
OVER KASHMIR. LAST YEAR BOTH COUNTRIES CONDUCTED NUCLEAR TESTS
AND EARLIER THIS YEAR BOTH COUNTRIES TESTED MID-RANGE BALLISTIC
MISSILES. // END OPT //
INDIA SAYS, WHILE IT WILLING TO TALK TO PAKISTAN ABOUT ENDING THE
CRISIS IN KASHMIR, IT WILL NOT END ITS MILITARY CAMPAIGN TO PUSH
THE INFILTRATORS OUT OF ITS TERRITORY.
INDIAN TROOPS ON TUESDAY CONTINUED THEIR ASSAULTS AGAINST A
SERIES OF FOUR-THOUSAND METER-HIGH RIDGES IN KASHMIR KNOWN AS THE
"TIGER HILLS" WHERE SEVERAL HUNDRED INFILTRATORS ARE DUG IN ON
HIGH GROUND.
INDIAN COMMANDERS SAY THEY HAVE PUSHED THE INFILTRATORS BACK
ABOUT FOUR KILOMETERS FROM THEIR ORIGINAL POSITIONS WHICH WERE
ABOUT SEVEN KILOMETERS INSIDE INDIAN TERRITORY. COMMANDERS SAY
THE FIGHTING IS FIERCE AND AMOUNTS TO "VIRTUALLY INCHING
FORWARD," IN SUB-FREEZING CONDITIONS. (SIGNED)
NEB/JLT/PLM
08-Jun-99 5:27 AM EDT (0927 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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