Strengthen peace moves: Advani

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, DEC. 15. The Union Home Minister, Mr. L. K. Advani, today expressed the hope that some decisions would be taken soon to strengthen the peace initiative in Jammu and Kashmir.

Maintaining that there was a perceptible change in the situation in the State after the Prime Minister's ceasefire announcement last month, Mr. Advani said militant activities had declined and infiltration from across the border had come down. ``This could be because shelling by Pakistan has come down and infiltration generally takes place under the cover of fire.''

Briefing MPs at a meeting of the Consultative Committee of the Home Ministry, Mr. Advani said: ``Militancy in Jammu and Kashmir is essentially a proxy war incited by our neighbour and it is not indigenous. Therefore, the Ramzan ceasefire is another opportunity for Pakistan to take positive steps so that peace talks could be considered.''

The Minister reiterated the Centre's preparedness to talk to Pakistan if violence ended or was reduced drastically. ``But we do not contemplate any tripartite talks,'' he said.

The Government was monitoring the situation in the State, he said and hoped some decisions would be taken soon. Over the past few week, the Government had hinted at the possibility of extending the ceasefire beyond the holy month of Ramzan, ending on December 28.

Members cutting across party lines appreciated the Government's move to give another opportunity to militant groups in the State to help usher in peace.

Concern at Assam situation

On the North-East situation, some members mentioned the killings of non-Assamese people by the ULFA in Assam and said people were fed up with militancy. Demanding an initiative to enlist people's support to end the violence, they felt that the recent killings only reflected the frustration and desperation in the ULFA. Mr. Advani said the Government had reviewed the situation in Assam at a high-level meeting convened by his Ministry and attended by the Defence Minister, the State Governor, the Army Chief and the Assam Chief Minister. Additional security forces had deployed in the State.

Mr. Somnath Chatterjee, CPI(M), said the Kamtapuri Liberation Organisation in north Bengal had become very active and its cadres were being trained by the ULFA. The organisation was demanding an independent State, he said.

Another move will follow: Farooq

PTI reports from Jammu:

The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, has said that the unilateral Ramzan ceasefire announced by the Prime Minister would be followed by a second move in pursuit of peace. A dialogue with Pakistan in the wake of the ceasefire was welcome but no solution should be expected within days as ``the issues of 52 years are too complicated to be untangled so soon,'' he said at a function organised by the Kashmir foundation for peace and developmental studies here.

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