Bush administration supports ceasefire

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, FEB. 21. The Bush administration supports India's unilateral initiative for a ceasefire in Kashmir, the Congressman from California, Mr. Edward R. Royce, said today.

Mr. Royce, who is the co-chairman of the 123-member India Caucus in the U.S. Congress, conveyed this to the Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee, whom he met as part of a four-member visiting delegation. ``Our hopes are with the Prime Minister,'' he said.

Mr. Joseph Pitts, who was also part of the delegation, met three leaders of the Hurriyat Conference - Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, Mr. Abdul Gani Lone and Mr. Sheikh Aziz - last night. They discussed the possible extension of the ceasefire and the visit of the Hurriyat delegation to Pakistan.

According to a spokesman of the External Affairs Ministry, Mr. Vajpayee told the Congressmen that the people of Jammu and Kashmir were tired of insurgency. But Pakistan had not shown any inclination to restrain the terrorists so that a conducive atmosphere for reviving the stalled Indo-Pak. dialogue could be restored.

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Section  : National
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