DATE=7/5/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251429
TITLE=PAK / KASHMIR (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=SCOTT ANGER
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: PAKISTANI OBSERVERS SAY THEY BELIEVE SUNDAY'S MEETING OF
THE PAKISTANI PRIME MINISTER AND PRESIDENT CLINTON MAY LEAD TO
THE WITHDRAWL OF PAKISTANI-BACKED FORCES FIGHTING INDIAN TROOPS
IN INDIAN KASHMIR. V-O-A'S SCOTT ANGER IN ISLAMABAD REPORTS
PAKISTAN HAS BEEN UNDER INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE TO PULL-OUT THE
INSURGENTS TO PREVENT AN EVEN WIDER CONFLICT IN THE REGION.
TEXT: AFTER MEETING WITH PRESIDENT CLINTON FOR MORE THAN THREE
HOURS SUNDAY, PAKISTANI PRIME MINISTER NAWAZ SHARIF HAS PROMISED
TO TAKE CONCRETE STEPS TO RESTORE THE LINE OF CONTROL DIVIDING
KASHMIR. BUT NEITHER ISLAMABAD NOR WASHINGTON HAS SAID WHAT
THOSE STEPS WILL BE.
PAKISTANI NEWSPAPER COLUMNIST TALAT HUSSAIN SAYS THE FIRST STEP
MAY BE THE WITHDRAWL OF THE FORCES PAKISTAN SAYS ARE FREEDOM
FIGHTERS BATTLING INDIAN TROOPS IN KASHMIR -- BUT WHAT THE REST
OF THE WORLD SAYS ARE PAKISTANI TROOPS WHO HAVE CAPTURED INDIAN
TERRITORY.
///HUSSAIN ACT///
PAKISTAN WILL HAVE TO GIVE CONCESSIONS. TRANSLATED INTO REAL
TERMS, IT MEANS THAT PAKISTAN WILL HAVE TO CALL ITS TROOPS BACK.
AND THEN, BY IMPLICATION, ADMIT THAT IT SENT THOSE TROOPS IN (TO
INDIAN KASHMIR).
///END ACT///
THE UNITED STATES, RUSSIA AND A NUMBER OF EUROPEAN COUNTRIES HAVE
REJECTED PAKISTAN'S CLAIM THAT ITS TROOPS HAVE NOT VIOLATED THE
LINE OF CONTROL, WHICH DIVIDES THE KASHMIR REGION.
PAKISTAN HAS MAINTAINED THROUGHOUT THE TWO-MONTH LONG CONFLICT
THAT NONE OF ITS TROOPS HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN OPERATIONS ON
INDIA'S SIDE OF THE BORDER. BUT INDIA SAYS IT HAS PROOF THAT
REGULAR PAKISTANI SOLDIERS ARE FIGHTING IN THE MOUNTAINS NEAR THE
TOWNS OF KARGIL AND DRAS, IN INDIAN KASHMIR.
THE APPARENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN MR. SHARIF AND PRESIDENT CLINTON
PUTS PAKISTAN IN AN AWKWARD POSITION. MR. HUSSAIN SAYS PAKISTAN
HAS WAGED A PUBLIC-RELATIONS CAMPAIGN TO PERSUADE THE WORLD THAT
INDIA HAS VIOLATED THE LINE OF CONTROL IN THE PAST -- AND THAT
THE FIGHTING IN KARGIL IS A RESULT OF INDIAN AGGRESSION.
///HUSSAIN ACT///
IT IS A VERY EMBARRASSING POSITION AND GOES AGAINST THE GRAIN OF
OUR (PAKISTAN'S) PUBLIC POLICY ON KARGIL. THE MERE FACT WE HAVE
TO GO TO WASHINGTON INDICATES THAT WE NEEDED TO LEAN ON
WASHINGTON'S SHOULDER TO GET OUT OF THIS BOG. IT THROWS OUR
STAND ON KARGIL OUT THE WINDOW.
///END ACT///
IN EARLY MAY, INDIA LAUNCHED A MASSIVE AIR AND GROUND ATTACK TO
PUSH ARMED MUSLIM INSURGENTS OUT OF ITS TERRITORY, WHICH RAISED
FEARS OF A WIDER CONFLICT BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES.
OBSERVERS SAY BY SENDING THE INSURGENTS INTO INDIAN TERRITORY,
PAKISTAN HAS ATTEMPTED TO FOCUS WORLD ATTENTION ON THE 50-YEAR
OLD DISPUTE. BUT INDIA HAS REJECTED OUTSIDE INTERVENTION. U-S
OFFICIALS HAVE INSISTED MR. CLINTON'S MEETING WITH MR. SHARIF
SHOULD NOT BE SEEN AS MEDIATION.
MEANWHILE, MILITANT GROUPS, BASED IN PAKISTAN, WHO ARE
REPORTEDLY FIGHTING INDIAN TROOPS IN KASHMIR SAY THEY WILL NOT
WITHDRAW FROM THE STRATEGIC MOUNTAIN-TOP POSITIONS THEY OCCUPY.
THE GROUPS SAY THEY DO NOT TAKE ORDERS FROM PAKISTAN AND ACCUSE
MR. SHARIF OF BOWING TO U-S PRESSURE. (SIGNED)
NEB/SA/PLM
05-Jul-99 5:52 AM EDT (0952 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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