DATE=6/9/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-250405
TITLE=INDIA / PAK / KASHMIR (L)
BYLINE=JIM TEEPLE
DATELINE=NEW DELHI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: INDIA AND PAKISTAN ON WEDNESDAY CONTINUED EXCHANGES OF
ARTILLERY FIRE ACROSS THE SO-CALLED "LINE OF CONTROL," WHICH
DIVIDES KASHMIR. INDIAN FIGHTER JETS ALSO ATTACKED BUNKERS ON
HIGH GROUND IN KASHMIR OCCUPIED BY WHAT INDIA DESCRIBES AS
"INFILTRATORS FROM PAKISTAN." VOA'S JIM TEEPLE REPORTS BOTH
COUNTRIES HAVE NOW AGREED TO HOLD TALKS ON SATURDAY BUT THERE ARE
FEW INDICATIONS THAT THE TALKS WILL END THE CRISIS.
TEXT: BOTH PAKISTAN AND INDIA SAY THERE ARE NO PRECONDITIONS TO
SATURDAY'S TALKS WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE IN NEW DELHI BETWEEN
INDIAN FOREIGN MINISTER JASWANT SINGH AND HIS PAKISTANI
COUNTERPART, SARTAJ AZIZ.
WHILE BOTH SIDES SAY THERE ARE NO PRECONDITIONS, INDIA SAYS THERE
WILL BE ONLY ONE TOPIC UNDER DISCUSSION -- IN PRIME MINISTER
ATAL BEHARI VAJPAYEE'S WORDS --" HOW PAKISTAN PROPOSES TO UNDO
THE INTRUSION INTO INDIAN TERRITORY."
PAKISTAN'S FOREIGN MINISTER SARTAJ AZIZ SAYS HE IS TRAVELING TO
NEW DELHI TO TRY AND EASE TENSIONS BUT THOSE TENSIONS CAN'T BE
EASED UNLESS INDIA AGREES TO DISCUSS WHAT HE SAYS IS "THE CORE
ISSUE OF KASHMIRI'S LIVING UNDER INDIAN RULE."
INDIA SAYS EVEN THOUGH IT ACCEPTS PAKISTAN'S OFFER OF TALKS,
MILITARY OPERATIONS WILL CONTINUE IN KASHMIR TO EVICT THE
INFILTRATORS. RAMINDER JASSAL THE CHIEF SPOKESMAN FOR INDIA'S
FOREIGN MINISTRY SAYS THERE WILL BE NO INTERFERENCE IN WHAT IS
PURELY A MILITARY OPERATION.
// INSERT JASSAL ACTUALITY //
THE MILITARY OPERATIONS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE KARGIL SECTOR
OF KASHMIR WOULD CONTINUE TO TAKE PLACE IN A DEGREE OF INTENSITY
AS CALLED FOR BY THE SITUATION. THERE IS NO PLAN TO LINK
MILITARY OPERATIONS WITH THE VISIT OF FOREIGN MINISTER SARTAJ
AZIZ. THE MILITARY OPERATIONS WILL CONTINUE AS REQUIRED AND IN
THE JUDGEMENT OF THE ARMED FORCES OF INDIA.
// END ACTUALITY //
NEW DELHI SAYS THERE IS NO POSSIBILITY THE TALKS WILL BE EXTENDED
BEYOND ONE DAY BECAUSE FOREIGN MINISTER JASWANT SINGH HAS TO
TRAVEL TO BEIJING ON SUNDAY.
// OPT // PRIME MINISTER VAJPAYEE SAYS IF PAKISTAN'S FOREIGN
MINISTER ATTEMPTS TO BRING UP THE ISSUE OF CHANGING THE
BOUNDARIES OF THE "LINE OF CONTROL," -- THE CEASEFIRE LINE WHICH
DIVIDES KASHMIR, THE TALKS WILL IN HIS WORDS, "END BEFORE THEY
BEGIN." RAMINDER JASSAL OF INDIA'S FOREIGN MINISTRY SAYS THE
WORLD SHOULD KNOW INDIA'S POSITION IS NOT NEGOTIABLE.
// INSERT JASSAL ACTUALITY //
THE LINE OF CONTROL IS NOT AN INTERNATIONAL BORDER. BUT IT IS A
VERY CLEARLY MARKED AND DELINEATED LINE WHICH HAS BEEN MAPPED IN
GREAT DETAIL BY THE MILITARY AUTHORITIES OF BOTH SIDES ON MAPS
WHICH HAVE BEEN AUTHENTICATED AT VERY SENIOR LEVELS BY THE
MILITARY AUTHORITIES ON BOTH SIDES. THIS FLOWS FROM A
BI-LATERAL AGREEMENT (THE 1972 SHIMLA ACCORDS) WHICH IS SIGNED
AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS. IT IS UNACCEPTABLE TO US THAT ANY
COUNTRY SHOULD RENEGE FROM SUCH INTERNATIONAL COMMITMENTS. //
END ACTUALITY // // END OPT //
WHILE INDIA SAYS IT WELCOMES THE VISIT OF FOREIGN MINISTER SARTAJ
AZIZ TO NEW DELHI, ISLAMIC MILITANTS FIGHTING IN KASHMIR ARE
CONDEMNING THE TRIP. SAYED SALAHUDDIN, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE
UNITED JEHAD COUNCIL, AN UMBRELLA GROUP OF 14 KASHMIRI MILITANT
ORGANIZATIONS BASED IN PAKISTAN, SAYS THE PROBLEM OF KASHMIR
CANNOT BE SOLVED THROUGH TALKS, BUT ONLY ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
(SIGNED)
NEB/JLT/PLM
09-Jun-99 7:09 AM EDT (1109 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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