No use talking to Pak. now: PM

By Our Special Correspondent

LUCKNOW, OCT. 22. There is no point in holding talks with Pakistan as long as it continues to support cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, said here today.

Talking to presspersons during a day's visit to his parliamentary constituency, Mr. Vajpayee said talks, however, could not be ruled out forever. But incidents like today's terrorist attack on an Air Force base near Srinagar showed that Pakistan continued to support terrorism from across the border. Talks under the present circumstances would, therefore, bear no fruit.

The country had been a victim of terrorism for a long time and was prepared to fight its own battle. However, it wanted the international community to understand the issue and react positively to the Indian point of view.

Denying that India was under any pressure from the U.S. to observe restraint while dealing with terrorism in Kashmir, Mr. Vajpayee said ``we never accept pressure from any quarter. During the Kargil war, the country was pressurised to leave a part of the territory under Pakistani occupation but we did not accept the pressure. We have an independent foreign policy and we will always stick to it.''

Replying to a query, he said the world opinion was in favour of getting rid of terrorism. However, the first priority was to deal with the terrorism unleashed by the Taliban. After the objective was fulfilled, attention would be focussed on terrorism elsewhere also.

India was not for a Taliban role in any future Government of Afghanistan. The post-Taliban Government should be broadbased and have representatives from various groups, take care of every section of its population and have the support of every group.

When asked to clarify the statement of the Defence Minister, Mr. George Fernandes, that Pakistan was responsible for the September 11 strikes in the U.S., Mr. Vajpayee said the Taliban was Pakistan's creation; Pakistan had nurtured the Taliban and was equally to blame for the militia's actions.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Front Page
Previous : Stop anti-Pak. rhetoric, Musharraf tells India
Next     : Three satellites placed in orbit