A lot has changed since 1948, says Clinton

WASHINGTRON, MARCH 22. The U.S. President, Mr. Bill Clinton, has said that the Prime Minister, Mr. A. B. Vajapyee, is going to do everything he can to avoid having the Kashmir situation escalate into a war with Pakistan and that is encouraging.

``But still think it's difficult situation. I think it's important that they both (India and Pakistan) show restraint. I think it's important that they respect the Line of Control, both sides do,'' he said in an interview to ABC news' Peter Jennings.

Peter Jennings: The Indian Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee is much more militant with the Indian press than he was with you today.

Bill Clinton: That's good though. That means that - maybe that means my trip here has a beneficial impact.

Jennings: What do you mean by ``impact,'' Mr. President?

Clinton: You know I spent last July trying to persuade the former Prime Minister, Mr. (Nawaz) Sharif, to withdraw back behind the Line of Control. He did, I think it weakened him when he did frankly but it was the right thing to do. I think that they - these countries need to be thinking about reducing violence and increasing cooperation and dialogue, and freeing up their immensely talented people for different pursuit.

Jennings: Forgive me for being more pointed... You know, as well as I do that you're talking, to a very large extent, in generalities. What do you think the U.S. can really do here, especially given the fact that the Indians say the U.S. has no role?

Clinton: Well, I think that what they say is that we have no role in Kashmir. And they have every right to say that. Every place in the world I've been involved in the peace process-- you know, it's because we have been able to inspire the confidence and have a relationship with both parties. But I think the U.S. does have an interest in trying to avert a larger conflict and trying to reduce the tensions between the two countries. I think we do have a clear interest there.

Jennings: So?

Clinton: We've worked with the Pakistanis for years. We want it - and obviously we've got a big interest in India's future. So , therefore, I think anything I can do to get them to focus on what it would take to reduce the tensions is important. And I think right now the important thing is respecting the LoC, reducing violence and find a way out to resume the dialogue. Now beyond that, it's up to them.

Jennings: You'll tell the Pakistanis they should respect the LOC, the De facto ceasefire line?

Clinton: Absolutely.

Jennings: And what will you tell those Kashmiris, or Pakistanis, who believe they're fighting to free Muslim Kashmiris from Indian control?

Clinton: First of all, I think that- the same thing I said to the Indians. I don't think there can be a military solution to Kashmir. And the tangled history of it does not admit of a simple solution. I think that the best chance that the Pakistanis have, if they want to have a positive impact on what they believe the legitimate concerns of people who live in that part of Kashmir that's in India, is through a dialogue, not through acts of violence and supporting acts of violence. And I think for many years they thought that might get us involved, and it won't . I'm not going to be dragged into something that - first of all, that India doesn't want us to be part of and secondly, that I got dragged into from deliberate acts of violence. I just don't think that's right.

Jennings: So what is America's Kashmir policy?

Clinton: Our policy is, first, respect the LoC. Second, do not promote violence by third parties in Kashmir. Third, negotiate. And, fourth, with respect to India, that there's not a military solution to Kashmir's problems by India, either - that the Kashmiris deserve to have their own concerns addressed on the merits.

Right to referendum

Jennings: Do you support Kashmiris' right to a referendum on their own independence? The right as it was laid out by the United Nations in 1948, for them to have a plebiscite on their future?

Clinton: Well there's been a lot of changes since 1948 including what happened in 1971 and a number of things since. What I support is, I support some process by which the Kashmiris' legitimate grievances are addressed and I support respecting the LoC. And I think the Pakistanis and the Indians have to have some way of talking about it. And the Indians have to have some way of talking to their own Kashmiris about it that recognises there's not a military solution. But the most I can do right now is to oppose violence, particularly oppose violence propagated by third parties within Kashmir, and to support reaffirming the LoC.

Jennings: Who are these third parties you're referring to Kashmir?

Clinton: Well, we know that there have been instances of violence within Kashmir that were propagated by people who were not from there, but they weren't necessarily elements of the Pakistani Government - I don't want to accuse Pakistan of something it didn't do.

Jennings: Do you believe the Pakistan intelligence service facilitates the infiltration of fighters to Kashmir?

Clinton: I believe that there are elements within the Pakistani Government that have supported those who engaged in violence in Kashmir.

Jennings: And what will you tell Gen. Musharraf about that?

Clinton: Just exactly what I said to you. And I want to talk with him, as I did with Prime Minister Vajpayee, about the future. I think that in order to get out of a fix - when you get into a fix like this and you fell paralysed by your past practices, the only way to change it is to have a vision of the future which convinces you that if you want to achieve a certain goal you've got to do it in different way.

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