The Hindu : Musharraf to skip Indian skies

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jul 23, 2002

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Musharraf to skip Indian skies

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD July 22. Pakistan today accused India of being ``intransigent'' even as the world community is making efforts towards de-escalation of tensions in the region and announced that the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, would not fly over the Indian air space when he travels to Dhaka on a three-day official visit beginning on July 29. The Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman, Aziz Ahmed Khan, told a news conference that New Delhi's "adamant attitude" was impeding peace in the region despite all-out efforts by the international community.

The announcement that Gen. Musharraf would skip the Indian skies is an indication that Islamabad is in no mood to respond to New Delhi's June 9 proposal to allow Pakistani aircraft use of Indian air space on a reciprocal basis.

On January 1, India had terminated rail, road and air links and suspended the facility of allowing Pakistani aircraft to overfly the Indian air space as part of the diplomatic measures in the wake of the December 13 Parliament attack.

Following the shuttle diplomacy by senior functionaries of the U.S. and U.K. Governments, New Delhi on June 9 decided to revoke the decision on overflight facilities to Pakistani aircraft on a reciprocal basis. However, Islamabad termed the Indian measures as "cosmetic and self-serving" and has not responded till date.

``It is Indian intransigence to a very reasonable proposal to negotiate differences. We can only hope better sense prevails,'' Mr. Khan said in response to a specific question on the options before Pakistan in the wake of India's refusal to come to the negotiating table.

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