We will take Agra process ahead: PM

By Vinay Kumar

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 6. The Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, today said India would continue the dialogue with Pakistan - despite the recent contentious statements from Islamabad - to help reach a negotiated settlement over various outstanding issues, including Kashmir.

Ahead of his meeting with the Pakistan President, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, scheduled for September 25 in New York, Mr. Vajpayee admitted that the efforts had not yielded the desired results so far. ``Yet, a definite step has been taken in the quest for peace. We will continue the process set in motion at Agra.''

The Prime Minister was addressing the ongoing three-day conference of the heads of Central and State police forces and intelligence agencies here. The Union Home Minister, Mr. L.K. Advani, the Cabinet Secretary, Mr. T.R. Prasad, the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Mr. Brajesh Mishra, and the Home Secretary, Mr. Kamal Pande, were also present.

``Despite constant provocation and unabated cross- border terrorism, I took the initiative to invite Gen. Musharraf for talks. It remains our hope that dialogue alone can build mutual trust and understanding and help us arrive at a negotiated settlement over various outstanding bilateral issues, including Kashmir,'' he said.

Mr. Vajpayee's reiteration of continuing the dialogue with Pakistan came a day after the External Affairs Ministry disapproved the latest attempts of Pakistan to internationalise the Kashmir issue.

Expressing concern over the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, he said everyone knew about the many initiatives taken by India to end militancy. ``For over six months, we refrained from initiating combat operations. We did so in the hope that good sense will prevail among the various terrorist groups and their mentors to begin a meaningful dialogue for peace.''

Lauding the security forces for keeping pace with the political and diplomatic initiative and undertaking imaginative anti- insurgency operations, Mr. Vajpayee said militants had suffered heavy losses of men and materials in the past few months. ``As the Assembly elections in the State draw near, I am confident the security forces and the administration will rise to the occasion to ensure a free and fair poll.''

Referring to the northeast, he said the Government was committed to ushering in a new era of peace, normality and all- round development in the region which had suffered decades of insurgency, militancy and violence. ``We are trying to institutionalise the peace efforts initiated earlier with the principal Naga militant group, the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (I-M). We hope to achieve concrete results without adversely affecting the interests and endangering the territorial integrity of other States.''

In Assam too, there was clamour among the people for peace and security. Sounding optimistic about the talks with the Bodos, which had made ``encouraging progress'', he said the Centre was studying the prospects of initiating similar negotiations with other militant groups in the region.

Cautioning against fundamentalists, the underworld, terrorist outfits and criminals with international connections, who were out to create disruption and instability in the country, he said the global wind of religious militancy had touched India as well.

Asking the men in khaki to take a holistic view of things while maintaining law and order, he said they should act in ``a fair and impartial manner in handling issues relating to social, economic, and political discord.''

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