Monday, Oct 14, 2002
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By Neena Vyas
If this decision is taken, it will surely be seen as a major step towards de-escalation of tensions with Pakistan, but Mr. Advani warned that any dialogue with Pakistan would necessarily be pegged on the condition that all cross-border terrorism should stop. Several key Western powers have been emphasising that since elections in Jammu and Kashmir have been completed, an India-Pakistan dialogue must be started. He dispelled speculation that in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, would not be the prime ministerial candidate of the National Democratic Alliance. "The road test of the NDA will be in 2004 when we will contest the elections under Mr. Vajpayee's leadership on the basis of the performance of the NDA Government. Mr. Vajpayee will be our prime ministerial candidate,'' he asserted to counter the notion that has gained ground since he was elevated as Deputy Prime Minister that Mr. Vajpayee was on his way out and Mr. Advani would be the new NDA mascot. Mr. Advani did not think that the establishment of civilian rule in Pakistan would be more favourable to an India-Pakistan dialogue. He stated bluntly that the kind of government in Pakistan was not a hurdle — after all an invitation for the Agra Summit was given to the head of a non-civilian government — but what was certain is that "cross-border terrorism and a dialogue cannot go together''. That Summit had collapsed because Pakistan had refused to acknowledge cross-border terrorism and it had even justified deaths of innocent civilians as part of a "freedom struggle''. He said an in-depth analysis of the situation relating to cross-border terrorism and the impact of the recent elections in Pakistan on the ongoing proxy war unleashed by the neighbour on the western front would also be made at the Security Board meeting. The political gains made by religious extremist groups in Pakistan in the recently-concluded elections were "worrying'', he admitted. The October 16 meeting would look at all related issues and arrive at some decisions. The CCS meeting, held just before the Prime Minister left for Nicosia, Denmark and London had considered the troop withdrawal issue, but decided to defer the matter till his return, Mr. Advani said. He was very optimistic that the successful completion of elections in Jammu and Kashmir would be a "turning point'' in India's efforts to eliminate terrorism. The Government was committed to resuming the dialogue with the elected representatives to explore a solution to the Kashmir issue. Mr. Advani asserted "with full responsibility'' that with the "active support of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, we shall overcome cross-border terrorism'' as decisively as militancy had been ended in Punjab. Responding to a question, Mr. Advani said it was for the Prime Minister to decide whether or not he would attend the next SAARC meeting in Islamabad. He himself was leaving in a few days for a visit to Russia ahead of the Russian President, Vladimir Putin's visit here in December, he said. He recalled that his last visit to Russia was in 1977 when he was Minister of Information and Broadcasting in the Janata Party Government.
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