DATE=6/26/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251139
TITLE=INDO / PAK / KASHMIR (L)
BYLINE=ANJANA PASRICHA
DATELINE=NEW DELHI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
/// EDS: GIBSON LANPHER DUE TO ARRIVE NOON EDT / 1600 UTC ///
INTRO: INDIA SAYS ITS MILITARY OFFENSIVE IN INDIAN KASHMIR TO
EVICT ARMED INTRUDERS IS MAKING PROGRESS. THE MILITARY OFFENSIVE
WAS LAUNCHED A MONTH AGO (ON MAY 26TH). MEANWHILE A U-S OFFICIAL
IS ARRIVING IN NEW DELHI TO BRIEF INDIAN OFFICIALS ABOUT TALKS ON
THE KASHMIR CONFLICT HELD IN ISLAMABAD BETWEEN A TOP U-S GENERAL
AND PAKISTAN'S PRIME MINISTER. ANJANA PASRICHA HAS A REPORT FROM
THE INDIAN CAPITAL.
TEXT: INDIAN TROOPS HAVE REGROUPED FOR AN INTENSIFIED ASSAULT ON
TIGER HILLS -- ONE OF THE LAST MAJOR PEAKS IN KASHMIR'S DRAS
REGION WHICH HAS BEEN CAPTURED BY ARMED INFILTRATORS.
DEFENSE OFFICIALS SAY AIR STRIKES AGAINST THE INTRUDERS HAVE BEEN
EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE IN THE LAST TWO DAYS. INDIA IS NOW USING
ADVANCED, FRENCH-BUILT MIRAGE 2000 JETS TO BOMB GUERRILLA CAMPS.
DEFENSE SPOKESMAN COLONEL BIKRAM SINGH SAYS INDIA HAS EVIDENCE
SEVERAL BATTALIONS OF PAKISTANI TROOPS ARE FIGHTING IN KASHMIR --
AND ARE SUFFERING CASUALTIES.
/// SINGH ACT ///
WE HAVE INFORMATION POINTING TO THE FACT THAT FOUR
NORTHERN LIGHT INFANTRY WHICH HAS BEEN FIGHTING IN THE
AREA OF BATALIK IN THE POCKETS OF INTRUSION HAS SUFFERED
70 ALL RANKS KILLED -- SEVEN ZERO.
/// END ACT ///
HEAVY ARTILLERY SHELLING ALSO CONTINUES ALL ALONG THE LINE OF
CONTROL WHICH DIVIDES KASHMIR BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES.
MEANWHILE DIPLOMATIC MOVES ARE ON TO DEFUSE THE CRISIS BETWEEN
THE TWO NATIONS. U-S ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE GIBSON LANPHER
WILL BRIEF INDIAN OFFICIALS SUNDAY ON TALKS HELD IN RECENT DAYS
WITH PAKISTAN ON THE KASHMIR CONFLICT.
MR. LANPHER COMES TO NEW DELHI FROM ISLAMABAD, WHERE HE AND A
SENIOR U-S GENERAL, ANTHONY ZINNI, MET THE PAKISTANI PRIME
MINISTER AND SENIOR MILITARY COMMANDERS. THE UNITED STATES IS
URGING ISLAMABAD TO WITHDRAW INFILTRATORS FROM INDIAN KASHMIR.
INDIA IS ALSO COUNTING ON INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE TO PERSUADE
PAKISTAN TO PULL BACK THE INTRUDERS. LATE FRIDAY, INDIAN PRIME
MINISTER ATAL BEHARI VAJPAYEE HELD CONSULTATIONS WITH SENIOR
CABINET MINISTERS TO DISCUSS THE KASHMIR CONFLICT.
// OPT // THE TIMES OF INDIA NEWSPAPER SAYS THE CABINET
DISCUSSED A PROPOSAL THAT INDIAN FORCES WOULD ALLOW THE INTRUDERS
TO GO BACK TO PAKISTANI KASHMIR WITHIN A FIXED TIME FRAME.
OFFICIALS IN NEW DELHI SAY THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF THE PROPOSAL.
// END OPT //
MEANWHILE, FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN R.S. JASSAL IS CHARGING THE
PAKISTANI ARMY IS CLOSELY INVOLVED WITH MUSLIM MILITANTS IN THE
KARGIL OPERATION.
/// JASSAL ACT ///
THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE MEMBERS OF THE PAKISTAN
ARMED FORCES AND CADRES OF EXTREMIST GROUPS HAS BLURRED,
AND ONE COULD EVEN SAY THE IDENTITY OF THE TWO HAS
MERGED IN ONE.
/// END ACT ///
PAKISTAN DENIES INDIAN ALLEGATIONS THAT IT IS SUPPORTING MUSLIM
MILITANTS IN KASHMIR, AND SAYS THE GUERRILLAS ARE KASHMIRI
SEPARATISTS OVER WHOM IT HAS NO CONTROL. (SIGNED)
NEB/AP/WTW
26-Jun-99 9:28 AM EDT (1328 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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