Infiltration the issue: Advani

Our Special Correspondent

AJMER, DEC. 3. The Union Home Minister, Mr. L.K. Advani, today said the country could open a dialogue with Pakistan only if it discontinued its support to militants from across the border. ``The crucial thing is infiltration,'' he said. The External Affairs Ministry would formally react to Pakistan's suggestion for a dialogue, he said. He could not commit more as Parliament was in session.

UNI reports:

``The Union Government is trying to know the truth behind yesterday's announcement of maximum restraint by Pakistan,'' Mr. Advani said. He declined comment on the demand for talks with the All-Party Hurriyat Conference. On the shootout incident at the residence of the Navy Chief, Admiral Sushil Kumar, in Delhi a few days ago, Mr. Advani said the probe was on.

`It is high time they did it'

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE, DEC. 3. The Defence Minister, Mr. George Fernandes, today reacted to Pakistan's announcement of ``maximum restraint'' along the Line of Control in response to the Centre's Ramzan ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir, saying, ``It is high time they did it.'' He said the resumption of dialogue depended on Pakistan stopping the despatch of terrorists into the country and genuinely ceasing fire from across the border.

The Defence Minister was speaking to presspersons after visiting the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, the Electronic and the Radar Development Establishment and the Gas Turbine Research Establishment.

Asked specifically about Pakistan's ordering its troops to observe ``maximum restraint'' along the LoC and its willingness to enter into a meaningful dialogue on the Kashmir issue, Mr. Fernandes snapped: ``Who will not welcome a move of that nature?... (but) what exactly do they mean when they say restraint?''

He noted that Pakistan, by default, had admitted it had been firing from across the border. As India had always only returned the fire, it had to be a one-sided ``restraint''.

He declined to react to a question on extending the unilateral ceasefire ordered by the Prime Minister, Mr. A.B.Vajpayee, beyond the month of Ramzan. It depended on the course of events and no positive statement could be made at this juncture. But India certainly wanted the ceasefire to be an all-time affair. ``Who will not like an all-time ceasefire?''

He also said negotiations were not related to stoppage of firing from across the border. Besides, Pakistan should also close down the training camps for terrorists in Occupied Kashmir. There should be ``normalisation'' before India entered into talks with Pakistan.

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