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Our options are open, says Jaswant Singh

By Atul Aneja

The External Affairs Minister, Jaswant Singh, addressing a press conference in New Delhi on Tuesday. — Photo: S. Arneja.

NEW DELHI MAY 28. A day after the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, addressed his nation on television, India has indicated that it is keeping both its military and diplomatic options open to defeat cross-border terrorism.

Addressing a press conference this afternoon, the External Affairs Minister, Jaswant Singh, described Gen. Musharraf's address as "both disappointing and dangerous.'' Gen. Musharraf's "belligerent posturing'' had enhanced the Indo-Pak. tensions, rather than reducing them, Mr. Singh said, taking particular exception to his assertion that there were no infiltrations across the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.

"Mere verbal denials about the LoC are untenable, for they run against facts on the ground.''

Urging the industrialised countries to adopt a tougher line, Mr. Singh said the world should recognise that, "the epicentre of international terrorism is located in Pakistan.''

The war against terrorism "will not be won decisively until their base camps inside Pakistan are closed permanently.''

While warning Pakistan that India would "continue to take such measures as are necessary,'' the Minister, nevertheless, did hold out an olive branch by pointing out that the subcontinent could witness "peace'' if Gen. Musharraf "simply'' fulfilled his commitment to counter terrorism.

To a question, he said that Islamabad needed to end cross-border infiltrations across the LoC "irreversibly'' and act on the list of the 20 fugitives whom India accuses of terrorism in order to invite a reciprocation from New Delhi.

Significantly, in a seemingly conciliatory move, India has decided to go ahead with the official-level meeting with Pakistan on the Indus Waters treaty later this week. While not ruling out the possibilities for a rapprochement, Mr. Singh also indicated that India's military option vis-a-vis Pakistan was still open.

First, he expressed reservations on the role played by international diplomacy to restrain Pakistan on cross-border terrorism.

In fact, the recent missile tests by Pakistan — including the third launch today, after the arrival of the British Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, in Pakistan — were seen here as an expression of defiance.

Referring to the serial missile launches, Mr. Singh said "we would like to think that diplomacy is working.'' These observations acquire significance as they come on the eve of Mr. Straw's visit to the capital tomorrow. Secondly, Mr. Singh signalled that India was continuing with its military preparations which included taking into account the presence of the U.S. forces in Pakistan — their presence was ``not an inhibiting factor'' in the formulation of the Indian policy towards Pakistan, he said in reply to a query.

Thirdly, he indicated that the existing dissonance in Indo-Pak. relations did not favour an early resumption of high-level diplomatic interaction. Not surprisingly, he virtually ruled out a meeting between the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, and Gen. Musharraf on the sidelines of the CICA conference in Almaty early next month.

Though the conference was ``some distance away, I personally do not see the possibility'' of a meeting between the two leaders, he said.

Mr. Singh's observations were matched by the intensification of heavy shelling in the Siachen Glacier, and along most of the International Border and the LoC.

In a related development, the Home Minister, L.K. Advani, said he did not see any signs of a "radical change'' in Gen. Musharraf's address.

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