Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=6/1/04

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-316358

TITLE=INDIA / PAKISTAN (L-O)

BYLINE=ANJANA PASRICHA

DATELINE=NEW DELHI

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: A top official of India's new government says it will continue on the road to peace with Pakistan that was started by the previous government. As Anjana Pasricha reports from the Indian capital, India's new foreign minister says the two countries will hold peace talks in New Delhi later this month.

TEXT: India's foreign minister, Natwar Singh, says his government is deeply committed to pursuing peace with Pakistan and will hold talks on nuclear confidence building measures in New Delhi on June 19th and 20th. A week later (June 27th and June 28th) the foreign secretaries of the two countries will discuss how to push forward a peace process set in motion earlier this year by India's previous government.

Mr. Singh told a news conference the new Congress-led coalition government

wants cordial relations with Pakistan, and wants to continue the

journey started by the previous government down the road to peace.

/// SINGH ACT ///

The objective is to have a relationship which is friction-free, crisis-free and

therefore we have welcomed this changed atmosphere.

/// END ACT ///

Mr. Singh spoke after differences emerged between India's new government and Pakistan over the approach to solving the Kashmir dispute, raising fears that peace efforts could slow down.

The Himalayan territory is divided between the two countries, but claimed

in its entirety by both -- and is the main issue that will have to be tackled at

peace talks between the two countries.

Last week, Mr. Singh suggested that a 1972 agreement between the two countries should form the bedrock of future ties. The agreement is seen in India as implicitly paving the way to turn the line of control that divides Kashmir between the two countries into a permanent border.

Islamabad reacted sharply, saying such a solution was not possible.

Foreign minister Singh now says New Delhi will take a pragmatic

approach to solving all disputes with Pakistan.

/// 2nd SINGH ACT ///

The future of Indo-Pak (istan) relations no longer lies in the past. We can't

forget the past, but neither should we be prisoners of the past.

/// END ACT ///

Mr. Singh also said his government remains committed to building friendly

ties with the United States, and with Islamic countries.

The comment came amid speculation in New Delhi that the new government

may change its policy toward the United States due to influence of its leftist allies.

(SIGNED)

NEB/AP/KL/FC