The Hindu : Musharraf speech not helpful: Sinha

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 20, 2002

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Musharraf speech not helpful: Sinha

By Amit Baruah

NEW DELHI AUG. 19. The External Affairs Minister, Yashwant Sinha, said today that New Delhi had created conditions for "inclusive elections" in Jammu and Kashmir, but Pakistan was trying to rob these polls of their representative character.

Speaking to The Hindu on a wide range of issues at his South Block office, Mr. Sinha said the Pakistani President, Pervez Musharraf's speech on August 14 had not at all been helpful to the Kashmir polls.

Pointing out that there had not even been a temporary end to infiltration from across the Line of Control (LoC), Mr. Sinha said the role of "outsiders" in the India-Pakistan equation was confined to a "discussion on cross-border terrorism".

"Our firm stand that all the issues between India and Pakistan should be settled through bilateral discussions remains totally undiluted,'' Mr. Sinha said while indicating little forward movement on the re-initiation of bilateral contacts.

While conceding that India had to deal with a unipolar world today, Mr. Sinha said that non-alignment still remained a "very relevant" philosophy in international relations. Asked if he was disappointed with the United States' description of Pakistan as a "stalwart ally" in the battle against terrorism, Mr. Sinha said: "We must not forget that the U.S. woke to the threat of terrorism only after it was directly affected by the events of September 11..."

"Quite clearly, it was only the threat of war between the two neighbours that kindled their (American) interest in this form (affected India) of cross-border terrorism. And, they have done their bit."

Asked about the perception that India and China were competitors in South-East Asia, especially in Myanmar, he replied: "There is no need to look at this as a competition, in competitive terms. There is much to be done that there is enough both for China and India. I think those days are gone when any country could stand up and say this is my sphere of influence... "

Calling for the elimination of trade barriers in South Asia, Mr. Sinha said through his visits to the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and now to Nepal and Bangladesh he was trying to "push forward" the policy of pro-actively engaging India's immediate neighbours.

Asked whether India's request for the extradition of the LTTE chief, Velupillai Prabakaran, would impinge on the ongoing Sri Lankan peace process, Mr. Sinha said these issues would have to be "kept apart". At this point of time, he said, India had no desire to play "any direct role" in the peace process.

On "observing" elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. Sinha said anyone who spoke of the need for external observers did not recognise the strength of the Election Commission and the Indian media.

"We don't need a New York Times reporter to come and tell us what is happening in Kashmir because (The) Hindu will report more fairly and freely," he added.

-- Details of the interview under 'National' section.

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