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Match words with action, India tells Pak.
By Atul Aneja
NEW DELHI, JAN. 13. India today welcomed Pakistan's decision to snap its support to the terrorists heading for Kashmir and expressed its readiness for direct talks, provided Islamabad backed its words with action.
``We welcome the now declared commitment of the Government of Pakistan not to support or permit anymore the use of its territory for terrorism anywhere in the world, including the Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir,'' the External Affairs Minister, Jaswant Singh, said at a press conference.
Mr. Singh described the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf's decision to clamp down on Kashmir-centric extremism as a ``major shift'' in Islamabad's policy. Gen. Musharraf had also dropped his earlier distinction between terrorists and ``freedom fighters'' in his much-publicised television address on Saturday, he said.
India would insist on the extension of the Pakistani commitment against terrorism to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and the Northern Areas too. Pakistan's crackdown in ``territories under its control,'' that included the PoK, was central to ending cross-border terrorism, as this area was the hub of infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. Singh said.
India would now look forward to an effective implementation of the General's intent on the ground. If Pakistan operationalised its intention and moved positively towards eliminating cross-border terrorism, India ``will respond fully'', and would be prepared to resume a dialogue.
Rebutting Gen. Musharraf's accent on internationalisation, Mr. Singh said talks with Pakistan could be held only within a bilateral framework. ``There is no scope for third party intervention.''
India wanted the resumption of a ``composite dialogue'' process, based on the Lahore Declaration. That would mean New Delhi was ready for simultaneous discussion on all the eight issues mentioned in the document, including Jammu and Kashmir.
Responding to a question, Mr. Singh said the visit of the U.S. Secretary of State, Colin Powell, next week, could not be construed as an expression of third party intervention. He, however, had spoken to Gen. Powell this morning, besides conversing with the Russian Foreign minister, Igor Ivanov, earlier.
India, according to Mr. Singh, saw the termination of ``infiltration'' as a benchmark for gauging Pakistani seriousness in combating terrorism.
India today expressed its disappointment over Pakistan's decision not to hand over its nationals, included in a list of 20 fugitives that New Delhi had sent to Islamabad. But Mr. Singh hoped Pakistan would act against the 15 Indians who had been detailed.
The Minister clarified that India was ready to give enough time to Gen. Musharraf to implement some of the measures he announced last night. But, it was unlikely to deviate from its present diplomatic focus to defuse the crisis with Pakistan, in case there was a recurrence of terrorist strikes.
On the possibility of de-escalation on the borders, Mr. Singh said the decision to pull back the Indian forces would depend on the speed with which Gen. Musharraf clamped down on the terrorists. India's tough diplomatic measures, backed by troop mobilisation, had contributed to the visible shift in Pakistani stance, he said.
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