Door still open for talks, says Musharraf

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, DEC. 6. The Pakistan Chief Executive, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, today maintained that the doors for talks with India were still open, despite the Indian Government's rejection of the formulation suggested by his Government for resolution of the Kashmir dispute.

Talking to journalists here, the Chief Executive sought to make a distinction between the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, and the Indian Foreign Ministry that had responded to the Pakistani announcement of a ceasefire on the Line of Control (LoC).

Within hours after the spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi ruled out a response from Mr. Vajpayee to the latest Pakistani initiative on Kashmir, Pakistan expressed disappointment.

The Pakistan Foreign Secretary, Mr. Inamul Haq, told correspondents here that ``Pakistan is disappointed at the response of the official spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs. We would have expected a more positive response by India to the initiative taken by Pakistan''.

The stance taken by the military Government on the statement from New Delhi on Tuesday shows that it would like to send out a signal to the international community as a `reasonable neighbour' interested in resolution of differences through a dialogue.

``We have heard from the Foreign Office. I expect the Indian Prime Minister to decide on this offer, otherwise, obviously, I will presume that the ball is entirely in their court,'' the military ruler said, adding he was still hopeful of a positive response from `high quarters' in India.

Gen. Musharraf termed the recent developments centred on Kashmir as a `window of opportunity' and said that India would be squarely responsible if the opportunity was lost.

``Any progress on this issue of a peaceful dialogue on Kashmir, if it fails again, the window of opportunity which again was there, I will consider that it was frustrated by the Indian side,'' Gen. Musharraf said.

Conceding that he is a little disappointed with the response of the Indian Foreign Ministry, the Chief Executive said that ``I am still not closing the doors entirely, may be a senior position's response should come because this is a very serious issue to which I have responded''.

The Chief Executive recalled the salient features of the announcement made by the Pakistani Foreign Secretary, and said he was hopeful of a positive response.

Gen. Musharraf said Pakistan had asked its troops on the Line of Control to exercise maximum restraint and had invited the Executive Committee of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) to visit Islamabad for consultations with the Pakistani Government.

He said APHC leaders should first come to Pakistan for talks and later hold talks in New Delhi.

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Section  : International
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