The Hindu : No change in ground situation, says Fernandes

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jun 02, 2002

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International

No change in ground situation, says Fernandes

By Amit Baruah

SINGAPORE JUNE 1. The Defence Minister, George Fernandes, said today that there had been no talks between top India and Pakistani military officials to defuse the situation along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border.

Mr. Fernandes, who was relentlessly pursued by the international press at the Asia Security Conference here, did not see any possibility of any talks between military officials of the two countries. The Minister was circumspect in his replies, stressing that there had been no change in the situation on the ground.

Asked about news reports that non-essential U.S. embassy staff had been authorised to voluntarily leave India (as also U.N. personnel), Mr. Fernandes said he had "no comment'' "They felt they should take certain steps. It's for them to decide and I don't need to comment on that.'' To a question why India had been invited to the Asia Security Conference and not Pakistan, Mr. Fernandes responded: "This is a point you should discuss with the sponsors of this conference. Not with me.'' He said Islamabad must end cross-border terrorism and hand over the 20 terrorists, whose names India had handed over to Pakistan.

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