'U.S. campaign should be under U.N. aegis'

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 25. The Left parties today iterated that the campaign against international terrorism should be under the auspices and control of the United Nations. They also pointed out that the U.S. had not even mentioned an attack on the terrorist bases in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

The Communist Party of India took exception to the U.S. view that Afghanistan could be only the first target in its strikes against terrorism, which could be followed by Iraq and other countries. ``This has an ominous ring. It is not clear what course the U.S. will follow in pursuing its aims,'' its Central secretariat said.

The U.S. had said nothing about the liquidation of terrorist bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, or about training and equipping camps, which existed in the U.S. itself.

The CPI expressed the apprehension that India would be dragged along without its concerns on security from cross-border terrorism being addressed. It reiterated the demand that the issue be discussed in the U.N. General Assembly and the Security Council and the campaign against international terrorism be launched under the U.N. auspices. ``There can be no purely military solution to the problem,'' the party said and warned the Vajpayee Government against any involvement in a ``premature British move'' to install a government of its choice in Afghanistan.

The CPI(M) general secretary, Mr. Harkishen Singh Surjeet, said while the party sympathised with the Americans on terrorist attacks, India should not carry forward the U.S. agenda. Addressing a party rally to oppose the Government's policies, Mr. Surjeet said the fight against terrorism should not appear to target only Muslim terrorist organisations but others operating elsewhere. He too wondered why some terrorist organisations in Jammu and Kashmir were not being targetted.

CPI(M-L) campaign

The Communist Party of India (Marxist- Leninist) has launched an `anti-war' campaign through peace marches that will culminate on September 29.

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