DATE=7/13/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251706
TITLE=INDIA/FIGHTING (L)
BYLINE=ANJANA PASRICHA
DATELINE=NEW DELHI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: INDIA SAYS IT WILL ONLY CONSIDER RESUMING A DIALOGUE WITH
PAKISTAN ONCE ISLAMIC FIGHTERS LEAVE ITS TERRITORY. THE COMMENT
CAME AFTER PAKSITAN'S PRIME MINISTER URGED INDIA TO HOLD TALKS
WITH ISLAMABAD. ANJANA PASRICHA REPORTS FROM NEW DELHI, MUSLIM
MILITANTS HAVE OVERRUN A PARAMILITARY CAMP NEAR THE KASHMIR
BORDER.
TEXT: NEW DELHI SAYS IT WILL ONLY RESUME A DIALOGUE WITH
ISLAMABAD AFTER ENEMY FIGHTERS LEAVE INDIAN TERRITORY.
INDIA'S FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN, RAMINDER JASSAL, SAYS
RELATIONS BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN HAVE SUFFERED A SETBACK DUE
TO THE CURRENT KASHMIR CONFLICT.
/// INSERT JASSAL ACT ///
PAKISTAN'S ARMED INTRUSION AND AGGRESSION IN THE KARGIL
SECTOR WAS A BETRAYAL OF TRUST. IT ALSO WAS AN
INDICATION OF ABIDING HOSTILITY. IT WOULD THEREFORE BE
IDLE TO PRETEND THAT THIS EXPERIENCE HAS NOT SET BACK
INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS.
/// END JASSAL ACT ///
MR. JASSAL SAYS INDIA IS SEEKING OTHER COMMITMENTS FROM PAKISTAN.
/// INSERT JASSAL ACT ///
AFTER THE COMPLETE WITHDRAWAL, PAKISTAN WOULD THEN NEED
TO REAFFIRM THE INVIOLABILITY AND SANCTITY OF THE LINE
OF CONTROL. IN THIS REGARD WE HOLD THAT SPONSORSHIP OF
CROSS-BORDER TERRORISM IS A VIOLATION OF THE LINE OF
CONTROL.
/// END JASSAL ACT ///
INDIAN SOLDIERS HAVE BEGUN TAKING OVER BUNKERS ABANDONED BY
ISLAMIC FIGHTERS AS THEY WITHDRAW FROM MOUNTAIN PEAKS. DEFENSE
OFFICIALS SAY TROOPS ARE CLEARING LANDMINES LEFT BEHIND BY THE
RETREATING FORCES.
DEFENSE OFFICIALS SAY THE KASHMIR BORDER CAME UNDER THE MOST
INTENSE ARTILLERY FIRING IN THE EIGHT-WEEK CONFLICT LATE MONDAY.
THEY SAY THE FIRING COULD BE A NORMAL BATTLEFIELD TECHNIQUE TO
COVER THE RETREATING FIGHTERS.
INDIA HAS SET A FRIDAY DEADLINE FOR THE FIGHTERS TO WITHDRAW, AND
SAYS AFTER THAT IT WILL RESUME OPERATIONS TO EVICT INTRUDERS
REMAINING IN ITS TERRITORY.
MEANWHILE, THE SEPARATIST MILITANTS CAPTURED A HIGH-SECURITY
PARAMILITARY CAMP NEAR BANDIPORE, 70-KILOMETERS NORTH OF THE
KASHMIRI CAPITAL, SRINAGAR DEPUTY INSPECTOR GENERAL S-K
CHAKARAVORTY AND FOUR SOLDIERS GUARDING HIM WERE KILLED DURING
THE PRE-DAWN ATTACK.
THE MILITANTS ARE HOLDING 12 PEOPLE FROM FOUR FAMILIES HOSTAGE
INSIDE THE CAMP.
NEW DELHI HAS DESCRIBED THE ATTACK AS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF
TERRORISM SPONSORED BY PAKISTAN. ISLAMABAD DENIES NEW DELHI'S
ACCUSATION OF TRAINING AND ARMING KASHMIRI MUSLIM SEPARATISTS.
BUT INDIA SAYS ABOUT 800 SEPARATIST MILITANTS HAVE CROSSED INTO
KASHMIR FROM PAKISTAN IN RECENT WEEKS, WHILE INDIAN TROOPS WERE
ENGAGED IN FIGHTING ISLAMIC FIGHTERS. (SIGNED)
NEB/AP/RAE
13-Jul-99 10:31 AM EDT (1431 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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