Country fully united on Kashmir, says Vajpayee

By K.V. Prasad

NEW DELHI, NOV. 27. Rejecting Pakistan's charge that India is divided in its approach on Kashmir, the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, today reaffirmed the Government's commitment to peaceful relations with its neighbour while insisting that there was no question of accepting another partition of the country and handing over Jammu and Kashmir to Pakistan.

``The country is fully united on the Kashmir issue. It will never accept another partition,'' Mr. Vajpayee said winding up the two- day discussion in the Rajya Sabha on the September 11 terrorist attacks in the U.S. and its impact on India.

The people of the State had opted to be with India, he said.

The Prime Minister's observations came a day after the Pakistan President, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, spoke of a ``division'' within the Government over talks with Pakistan.

In his 50-minute reply to a discussion on international situation after the September 11 attacks, Mr. Vajpayee expanded on India's policy towards Pakistan, the Government's approach to the current situation in Afghanistan and the Indian support to American war against international terrorism.

Pointing to the ``consistent and positive approach of his Government'' towards improving relations with Pakistan, Mr. Vajpayee declared that the peace process, however, could not be narrowly focussed on the dispute over Jammu and Kashmir. India wanted improvement in all aspects of bilateral relations, including trade and cultural cooperation.

He took objection to the Samajwadi Party leader, Mr. Janeswar Misra's comment that Mr. Vajpayee had pleaded with the U.S. President, Mr. George Bush,``with folded hands'', complaining on Pakistan's role in suicide attack on J&K Assembly. ``No one talks of a Prime Minister of a country of 100 crores in that fashion''.

Mr. Vajpayee said India dealt with the U.S. on equal terms, after he had written a letter to the U.S. warning that its patience was being tested the situation changed rapidly. There was no ground to doubt the patriotism of any party and he urged the country to present a united face.

On the prospects of a dialogue with Gen. Musharraf on the margins of SAARC meeting in Kathmandu in early January, Mr. Vajpayee said a chance meeting between the two could take place. ``If SAARC meeting is held at Kathmandu, and if I go there and if General Musharraf comes, then we could meet casually (chalte-chalte),'' Mr. Vajpayee said.

On Afghanistan, Mr. Vajpayee denied that he ever supported any move to accommodate the ``moderate'' Taliban elements but said efforts could be there to help those whose voice was stifled by the Taliban.

India would have a major say in the formation of a new set-up in Afghanistan while maintaining that any move to split Afghanistan would not be a solution to the problem. He said the Government had criticised the killings of innocent in bombings.

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