The Hindu : India rejects foreign participation in LoC patrol

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 07, 2002

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India rejects foreign participation in LoC patrol

By Vladimir Radyuhin

MOSCOW JUNE 6. Joint patrolling by India and Pakistan along the Line of Control in Kashmir is feasible, and can be "worked out" if Pakistan agrees to the proposal, the National Security Adviser, Brajesh Mishra, has said. ``If Pakistan accepts this proposal in principle, then modalities to implement it can be worked out,'' Mr. Mishra told presspersons here today.

India, however, would not welcome foreign participation in the patrolling of the LoC. ``The terrain in Jammu and Kashmir is so difficult that only Indians and Pakistanis know it inch by inch. It would be more appropriate and productive to have India and Pakistan monitor whether infiltration has ended or not.'' Elaborating, he said ``it is much more difficult than in Afghanistan, where with all Western technological achievements, many mistakes were committed.'' Inexperienced international patrol could result in civilian casualties.

Mr. Mishra's comments came amid reports that the United States was going to propose a joint U.S.-British military monitoring force on the India-Pakistan border in an attempt to defuse the threat of war between the neighbours. Quoting defence and diplomatic sources, The Independent said the U.S. Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, would put forward the proposal for a ``verification force'' during his visit to the subcontinent.

Earlier, Mr. Mishra had a 10-minute meeting with the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, and the Defence Minister, Sergei Ivanov, on the sidelines of the celebrations to mark the 10th anniversary of the Russian Security Council, and discussed the Indo-Pakistan standoff. ``Mr. Putin expressed Russia's understanding of the situation between India and Pakistan,'' he said, "Russia's position is as follows: put an end to cross-border terrorism and thereby avoid a military conflict.''

India "appreciated'' Russia's stand on the situation in South Asia and welcomed the international efforts to make Pakistan stop cross-border terrorism and avert a military conflict, Mr. Mishra said. However, he ruled out any international role in resolving the Kashmir issue. ``There is no question of any mediation in this and other problems between India and Pakistan... These problems must be settled directly by the two countries through a bilateral dialogue, a framework for which has been provided by the Shimla agreement and the Lahore declaration.''

Underscoring that the term ``mediation'' was not taboo while talking about the Indo-Pak. standoff, Mr. Mishra appreciated Mr. Putin's ``mediation'' in avoiding a military conflict between the two countries. ``Russia, like the United States, the United Kingdom, China and many countries, is engaged in efforts to avoid an Indo-Pak. military conflict. If these efforts succeed in ending cross-border terrorism and avoid a military conflict, it would be great.''

Serious proposal: Pak.

ISLAMABAD, JUNE 6. After giving a generally negative response to the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee's offer of joint patrolling by the Indian and the Pakistani forces along the Line of Control, Pakistan today described the offer as ``serious.'' The proposal appeared to be the ``beginning of a dialogue'' and Islamabad wanted New Delhi to present it formally through the diplomatic channel, Pakistan's Information Minister, Nisar Memon, told reporters.

— PTI

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