Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=08/23/02

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=INDIA / ARMITAGE (S/L Combo)

NUMBER=2-293307

BYLINE=JIM TEEPLE

DATELINE=NEW DELHI

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: A senior U-S diplomat is visiting New Delhi, (Friday), holding talks with Indian officials on continuing tensions with Pakistan and regional security issues. V-O-A's Jim Teeple reports India plans to hold state elections in Indian-administered Kashmir in just a few weeks.

TEXT: Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage is holding talks with Indian officials on continuing tensions in the Kashmir region.

Indian officials say the cross-border infiltration of separatist militants from Pakistan-controlled territory into Indian-administered

Kashmir is continuing despite a pledge by Pakistan to seal the border. Pakistan's president Pervez Musharraf says his government is doing all

it can to stop militants from crossing into Indian territory but a few may slip through the porous border region.

In his discussions with India's Defense Minister, Foreign Secretary and National Security Advisor, Mr. Armitage is also discussing upcoming

state-assembly elections in Indian-administered Kashmir.

Separatist political leaders have refused to take part in the elections. Secretary of State Colin Powell has called on India to release several

separatist political leaders held in detention, and allow international observers to monitor the elections. Indian officials have rejected the

requests saying the elections are an internal issue.

/// REST OPT FOR LONG ///

Mr. Armitage will not meet with India's prime minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, or with India's newly appointed foreign minister, Yashwant

Sinha who is out of the country. Following his talks in New Delhi he travels to Islamabad for discussions with President Musharraf and other senior officials.

Recently some Indian officials have complained that U-S officials are not putting enough pressure on President Musharraf to put a complete halt to cross-border infiltration in Kashmir, out of a fear of

jeopardizing Pakistani-support for the U-S led war on Terrorism. U-S officials reject the charge saying terrorism in India is no different from terrorism anywhere else.

Speaking in London on Thursday, India's influential deputy prime minister, L-K Advani, said if international pressure does not put a stop

to cross-border infiltration, India will act on its own.

/// ADVANI ACTUALITY ///

I wish to reiterate that we have resolved to take our fight against cross border terrorism to the finish. While international support would

certainly help us in our fight against cross-border terrorism, we are absolutely clear that this struggle will ultimately have to be fought and

won essentially on our own strength.

/// END ACTUALITY ///

While tensions have eased somewhat between India and Pakistan since Mr. Armitage's last visit to the region in June, they remain high. Both countries have kept hundreds of thousands of troops massed along their borders, and there are fears that if violence escalates in Kashmir during the upcoming polling -- tensions will increase once again between

South Asia's two nuclear neighbors. (Signed)

NEB/JLT/RH